LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday directed the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) to entertain, in accordance with eligibility criteria, an application of a transgender person for the examination being held to appoint Urdu lecturers.

Justice Faisal Zaman Khan passed the order on a petition of Fayazullah, a transgender person, against rejection of his application for the examination and non-allocation of job quota for the transgender community.

Earlier, responding to the court’s query, a counsel for the PPSC said the commission had no objection in allowing the petitioner to sit the examination if the Higher Education Department (HED) gave an approval in this regard.

Asked about the view of the department, a section officer told the court that the HED had no objection to allow the petitioner to appear in the examination after meeting the eligibility criteria. He said the department decided to entertain the application of the petitioner as a female candidate.

At this, Justice Khan disposed of the petition as the grievance of the petitioner stood addressed.

The judge observed that any other member of the transgender community could also apply, if meets the basic criteria, for the posts announced by the PPSC.

In this case, the judge had already stayed the process for the recruitment of lecturers by the commission.

Representing the petitioner, Advocate Ali Zaidi had contended that the PPSC took a plea that only male or female candidates could apply for the jobs and there was no provision to entertain the members of the transgender community. He said the policy of the government was discriminatory in nature and contrary to the fundamental rights of the citizens.

He further argued that the impugned policy was also in violation of the Transgender Protection Act 2018.

The counsel asked the court to set aside the discriminatory policy of the government and direct the PPSC to allocate job quota for the transgender community.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2021