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LGBT Rights in Pakistan

    Homosexuality
    ✖ Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
    Gay Marriage
    ✖ Not legal
    Censorship
    ✖ Imprisonment as punishment
    Changing Gender
    ✔ Legal, no restrictions
    Non-binary gender recognition
    ✔ Recognized
    Discrimination
    ✖ Illegal in some contexts
    Employment Discrimination
    ✖ Gender identity only
    Housing Discrimination
    ✖ Gender identity only
    Adoption
    ✖ Illegal
    Military
    ✖ Illegal
    Donating Blood
    ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    N/A

According to recent survey data available, societal resistance to LGBTQ+ rights in Pakistan is noticeable.

History

Homosexual activity in Pakistan

?

Homosexual activity in Pakistan is illegal (imprisonment as punishment).

Current status
Since Sep 8, 2018
Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
Homosexuality is illegal under Section 377, although it is unclear whether this law applies only to males or to females as well.
Added by vviet93  ·  2 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Oct 6, 1880–Sep 8, 2018
Male illegal, female legal
2 to less than 10 years in prison. Not enforced. Legal in Punjab.
Added by Ausyk  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Pakistan

?

Same-sex marriage in Pakistan is not legal.

Current status
Since Oct 7, 1958
Not legal
Technically, there are no law that prohibits cohabitation or marriage of a same-sex couple. However, if they are convicted of sodomy, the party face penalties according to the penal law.
Added by vviet93  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Pakistan

?

Censorship of LGBT Issues in Pakistan is imprisonment as punishment.

Current status
Since Aug 11, 2016
Imprisonment as punishment
Section 34 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (2016) empowers the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to remove or block content if deemed necessary for the "glory of Islam, public order, decency, or morality." However, prior to this law, the government had already been censoring LGB-related content online and in the media. Punishment for spreading this type of content, looking at it, if you gain access to banned content, etc, is 3 or more months in jail.
Added by equaldex  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Pakistan

?

Right to change legal gender in Pakistan is legal, no restrictions.

Current status
Since Dec 13, 2023
Legal, no restrictions
Pakistan allows trans people to receive identity documents with their preferred name and gender under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018. In late 2023, the Lahore High Court upheld this law in Nayyab Ali v. Federation of Pakistan.
Added by Ratabzoo  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

May 19, 2023–Dec 12, 2023
Illegal
The Federal Shariat Court struck down the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, declaring it un-Islamic.
Added by 4anahiv  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Pakistan

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Pakistan is recognized.

Current status
Since Dec 13, 2023
Recognized
Pakistan has allowed trans people to self-identify since the Lahore High Court struck down the Shariat ruling in Nayyab Ali v. Federation of Pakistan. "Third gender" is included as an option.
Added by Ratabzoo  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

May 19, 2023–Dec 12, 2023
Not legally recognized
The Federal Shariat Court struck down the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, declaring it un-Islamic.
Added by 4anahiv  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

May 11, 2018–May 18, 2023
Recognized
he country adopted the "third kind" on civil registration acts in 2018.
Discrimination at work, in schools and in public services is therefore prohibited. A local television station has even made a transgender person its anchor/presenter.
Added by l_hrz  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Until May 10, 2018
Not legally recognized
Transgender people in Pakistan before this date were not allowed to identify as non-binary as the Transgender Act had not been implemented yet.
Added by chae  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT discrimination in Pakistan

?

LGBT discrimination in Pakistan is illegal in some contexts.

Current status
Since May 9, 2018
Illegal in some contexts
For Gender identity only.
Added by vviet93  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Pakistan

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Pakistan is gender identity only.

Current status
Since Apr 12, 1973
Gender identity only
Gender identity only.
Added by vviet93  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Pakistan

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Pakistan is gender identity only.

Current status
Since Apr 12, 1973
Gender identity only
Gender identity only.
Added by vviet93  ·  0 accurate votes  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Pakistan

?

Same-sex adoption in Pakistan is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
Pakistan has yet to allow same sex adoption in it’s borders
Added by JohnQuebec98  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Serving openly in military in Pakistan

?

Serving openly in military in Pakistan is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
According to Wikipedia.
Added by Ro_Guy  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Pakistan

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Pakistan is banned (indefinite deferral).

Current status
Banned (indefinite deferral)
Reports show MSMs are not allowed to donate blood in Pakistan
Added by JohnQuebec98  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Conversion therapy in Pakistan

?

Conversion therapy in Pakistan is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
No laws outlawing this.
Added by Ausyk  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log

Equal age of consent in Pakistan

?

Equal age of consent in Pakistan is n/a.

Current status
Since Apr 12, 1973
N/A
Age of consent is not applicable because homosexuality is illegal in Pakistan.
Added by vviet93  ·  1 accurate vote  ·  Report Error  ·  Log


LGBT Rights by Province

View the LGBT laws in each individual province of Pakistan.