A petition has been filed in the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) on Thursday, seeking directives to nullify an amendment related to issuing computerised national identity cards (CNICs) to eunuchs under three gender options.
Abdur Rehman Advocate High Court filed the plea making chairman Nadra and federal interior secretary as respondents in the matter. He submitted that National Database and Registration Authority (Application for National Identity Card) (Amendment) Regulation, 2017 is repugnant to the injunctions of Islam, as laid down in the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH)
According to the challenged amendment cards of eunuchs shall be processed under any of three gender options – Male Eunuchs, Female Eunuchs and Unisex. “This is the choice of the applicant to select the gender. Moreover, cardholder may apply for modification of gender as per desire or appearance”.
The petitioner prayed the FSC to accept the Shariat petition against the impugned amendment which is Rule 2(1) of the “National Database and Registration Authority (Application for National Identity Card) (Amendment) Regulation, 2017. He requested the court to declare the amendment null and void on the grounds that it is repugnant to the injunctions of Islam. “Since the day of its insertion, and consequently all the changes recorded in the aftermath of the amendment mentioned above may also be declared null and void ab-initio with the direction of their reversal”, the petitioner prayed.
The petitioner submitted, “it is, therefore, most respectfully prayed that by accepting the instant Shariat Petition, the impugned amendment i.e. Rule 2(1) of the “National Database and Registration Authority (Application for National Identity Card) (Amendment) Regulation, 2017, may kindly be annulled, being repugnant to the injunctions of Islam, since the day of its insertion, and consequently all the changes recorded in the aftermath of the amendment mentioned above may also be declared null and void ab-initio with the direction of their reversal, in the interest of protection of Injunctions of Islam and for the protection of the society based upon thereof. Any other relief, which this honorable court deems fit and proper, may also be awarded”.