A religious party in Pakistan has filed a petition against a law that protects the rights of transgender people. Opponents say the legislation could act as a gateway to enable same-sex marriage. A law that provides legal recognition to transgender persons and prohibits discrimination and harassment, has stirred a new debate in the conservative South Asian country where homosexuality is a crime. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act of 2018 guarantees citizens their right to self-identify as male, female or a blend of both genders, and to have their identity officially registered on all official documents, including passports, national identification cards, driving licenses and educational certificates.