KARACHI: The Legal Aid Society (LAS), in partnership with the Gender Interactive Alliance (GIA), convened the Sindh Transgender Summit in Karachi on September 30, 2026, calling for urgent implementation of rights for the transgender and Khawaja Sira community in Sindh.
The summit, titled “From Exclusion to Entitlement: Closing the Rights Gap for the Khawaja Sira Community in Sindh”, was held under the Aawaz II Programme, led by CARE Pakistan and funded by UK International Development from the UK government.
The event brought together senior officials from the Social Welfare, Health, Education, Home and Labour departments, BISP/Ehsaas, NADRA, the Sindh Human Rights Commission, and the Sindh Commission on the Status of Women. Khawaja Sira community leaders from across Sindh, civil society organisations, and development partners, including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and CARE Pakistan, also attended.
GIA Executive Director Bindiya Rana opened the summit, describing it as a platform to translate community struggle into institutional accountability. Arif Tabassum, Aawaz II Team Lead at CARE Pakistan, presented the programme context, followed by a “Voices of Resilience” address by Sana Ahmed of GIA.
A theatre performance, “Stories from the Margins”, by Khwab-e-Raqs and Transcend Theatre, highlighted lived realities of the community.
A panel discussion titled “Field Realities — Lived Experiences of the Transgender and Khawaja Sira Community” was moderated by Advocate Maliha Zia of the Legal Aid Society. The panel included Shahzadi Rai, Kami Chaudhry, Sanam Fakeer, Dr Sara Gill, Rayhan Muqadam and Aradhiya Khan.
The panellists discussed eight interconnected reform areas, including emergency safe houses, full implementation of the Transgender Education Policy, enforcement of the 0.5 per cent employment quota, removal of medical certificate requirements, dedicated hospital wards, BISP activation, police sensitisation and appointment of transgender focal persons in every district, legal recognition of the Guru system, and direct government funding with structured vocational training models.
Presenting the five-point Charter of Demands on behalf of the transgender and Khawaja Sira community of Sindh, Aradhiya Khan called for emergency safe homes managed by transgender-led organisations; full implementation of Sindh’s Transgender Education Policy with scholarships and protection from discrimination; enforcement of the 0.5 per cent government job quota and removal of discriminatory medical certification requirements; dedicated wards in public hospitals offering gender-affirming and sensitive care; and activation of BISP inclusion along with immediate financial assistance for all registered Khawaja Sira individuals.
Speaking as chief guest, Munawar Ali Mithani, Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Government of Sindh, acknowledged the persistent gap between legal commitments and lived realities. He affirmed the government’s commitment to action across all five demand areas, including the Transgender Education Policy, employment quota, BISP integration and dedicated healthcare facilities.
“Things can be done when we put our heads together. The Government, NGOs, civil society and the transgender community must work collectively to turn rights into real opportunities — through safe spaces, skills development, education and employment,” Mithani said.
NADRA Director General Amir Ali Khan reaffirmed NADRA’s commitment to working closely with the Social Welfare Department and disability stakeholders to identify gaps, improve registration and access to services, review policies, and ensure more accessible, efficient and responsive services.
CARE Pakistan Country Director Adil Sheraz said the summit was an important step towards turning rights on paper into rights in practice.
“Lasting change requires listening to the Khawaja Sira community, strengthening institutional accountability, and ensuring that commitments translate into tangible action,” he said.
In her concluding remarks, LAS CEO Haya Emaan Zahid described the summit as a decisive shift from consultation to commitment. She urged all departments to treat the Commitment Tracker as a binding roadmap and reaffirmed LAS’s commitment to sustained monitoring, legal aid and advocacy alongside the Khawaja Sira community.
“Today’s evidence is both compelling and sobering. LAS will stand alongside the community until every commitment made here translates into real, measurable change,” she said.
The summit concluded with a renewed resolve to close the implementation gap and build a rights-centred system for the Khawaja Sira community across Sindh.
