- 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
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Discrimination
- Unknown
- Employment Discrimination
- Unknown
- Housing Discrimination
- Unknown
- Adoption
- Unknown
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- Unknown
- Military
- Unknown
- Donating Blood
- Unknown
- Conversion Therapy
- Unknown
- Age of Consent
- N/A
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Public Opinion
Punjab is lacking public opinion data.
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Suggest Public Opinion DataHistory
Homosexual activity in Punjab is illegal (up to life in prison as punishment).
Current status
Since Oct 6, 1860
Illegal (up to life in prison as punishment)
Homosexuality is illegal in Punjab under federal law.
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 Punjab 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 Punjab 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 Punjab 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 Punjab 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 Punjab 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.
LGBT employment discrimination in Punjab is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
LGBT housing discrimination in Punjab is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Intersex infant surgery in Punjab is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Serving openly in military in Punjab is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Blood donations by MSMs in Punjab is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
Equal age of consent in Punjab 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
34 / 100
This region's Equality Index is based on legal rights alone. Please submit survey results that show the public opinion of LGBTQ+ issues in Punjab to help improve its accuracy.
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Punjab LGBT Organizations
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