- Homosexuality
- ⚢✖ Illegal (up to life in prison as punishment)
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Unrecognized
- Censorship
- ✖ Imprisonment as punishment
- Changing Gender
- ✔ Legal, no restrictions
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✔ Legal
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✔ Recognized
- Hate Crime Protections
- ✖ No protections
- Discrimination
- ✖ Illegal in some contexts
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ Gender identity only
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ Gender identity only
- Adoption
- Unknown
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- Unknown
- Donating Blood
- Unknown
- Bathroom Access
- ✔ No explicit protections
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- N/A
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Public Opinion
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Suggest Public Opinion DataHistory
Homosexual activity in Sindh is illegal (up to life in prison as punishment).
Current status
Since Oct 6, 1860
Illegal (up to life in prison as punishment) under federal Pakistan law
Homosexuality is illegal in Pakistan under Article 377 of the Pakistan Penal Code of 1860. The punishment for violating Article 377 ranges from two years to life imprisonment and may also include fines.
The Zina provisions of the Hudood Ordinance (1979) criminalize all sexual conduct outside of marriage with the death penalty. However, there are no known cases of these provisions being used against gay people.
The Zina provisions of the Hudood Ordinance (1979) criminalize all sexual conduct outside of marriage with the death penalty. However, there are no known cases of these provisions being used against gay people.
Same-sex marriage in Sindh is unrecognized.
Current status
Unrecognized under federal Pakistan law
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.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Sindh 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.
Right to change legal gender in Sindh is legal, no restrictions.
Current status
Since Dec 13, 2023
Legal, no restrictions under federal Pakistan law
Pakistan allows trans people to self-identify and receive identity documents with their preferred name and gender under Chapter 2 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018.
In 2023, the Lahore High Court upheld this act in "Nayyab Ali v. Federation of Pakistan," overturning the Shariat ruling.
In 2023, the Lahore High Court upheld this act in "Nayyab Ali v. Federation of Pakistan," overturning the Shariat ruling.
Illegal under federal Pakistan law
The Federal Shariat Court struck down the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, declaring it un-Islamic.
Gender-affirming care in Sindh is legal.
Current status
Since May 10, 2018
Legal under federal Pakistan law
While it has been called un-Islamic by an official governmental advisory group and has faced several attempts at banning it, gender-affirming care is legal and state-funded in Pakistan.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Sindh is recognized.
Current status
Since Dec 13, 2023
Recognized under federal Pakistan law
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.
Until May 10, 2018
Not legally recognized under federal Pakistan law
Transgender people in Pakistan before this date were not allowed to identify as non-binary as the Transgender Act had not been implemented yet.
Hate crime protections in Sindh is no protections.
Current status
No protections
Sindh does not provide legal protection from hate crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
LGBT discrimination in Sindh is illegal in some contexts.
Current status
Since May 10, 2018
Illegal in some contexts under federal Pakistan law
Pakistani law broadly prohibits discrimination based on gender identity.
Section 17(b) of the Mutual Legal Assistance (Criminal Matters) Act, 2020, states that a request for mutual legal assistance to Pakistan may be refused by the central authority if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the request has been made for the purpose of punishing a person by reason of his sexual orientation.
Section 17(b) of the Mutual Legal Assistance (Criminal Matters) Act, 2020, states that a request for mutual legal assistance to Pakistan may be refused by the central authority if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the request has been made for the purpose of punishing a person by reason of his sexual orientation.
LGBT employment discrimination in Sindh is gender identity only.
Current status
Since May 10, 2018
Gender identity only under federal Pakistan law
Pakistani law only prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity.
LGBT housing discrimination in Sindh is gender identity only.
Current status
Since May 10, 2018
Gender identity only under federal Pakistan law
Pakistani law only prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity.
Intersex infant surgery in Sindh is not banned.
Current status
Not banned under federal Pakistan law
There is no policy or legal ban on surgery on intersex infants in Pakistan and the practice is reportedly quite widespread.
Serving openly in military in Sindh is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Bathroom access in Sindh is no explicit protections.
Current status
No explicit protections under federal Pakistan law
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018 prohibits discrimination in public places and guarantees basic rights, but it does not contain specific rules or directives regarding restroom access or choice of gendered facilities.
The Federal Shariat Court declared key aspects of self-perceived gender identity in the 2018 law to be un-Islamic, creating legal setbacks and ambiguity surrounding non-binary and trans identities in Pakistan.
There is a severe shortage of safe or dedicated public sanitation facilities for transgender people. Reports from provincial authorities (such as in Punjab) show that only a tiny fraction of public restrooms are designated for transgender individuals.
The Federal Shariat Court declared key aspects of self-perceived gender identity in the 2018 law to be un-Islamic, creating legal setbacks and ambiguity surrounding non-binary and trans identities in Pakistan.
There is a severe shortage of safe or dedicated public sanitation facilities for transgender people. Reports from provincial authorities (such as in Punjab) show that only a tiny fraction of public restrooms are designated for transgender individuals.
Conversion therapy in Sindh is not banned.
Current status
Not banned under federal Pakistan law
No laws currently ban conversion therapy or similar practices and they are widespread.
Equal age of consent in Sindh is n/a.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 1862
N/A under federal Pakistan law
Age of consent is not applicable because homosexuality is illegal in Pakistan.
Legal Rights
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