Winds of change for Pakistan transgender community

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani transgenders, usually discarded, castaway and abandoned by their blood relations as well as society, are now making their mark in various fields of life.

People are not only listening to their voices they are also giving them due regard and respect in society.

Syed Ali Raza (Alisha) and Aisha Mughal are two such respected members of transgender community and are considered as role model not only for other transgenders but also for the youth of Pakistan.

Alisha is working as coordination consultant for United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pakistan while Aisha is working with the Ministry of Human Rights (MOHR) as consultant.

While talking to Gulf News at an exhibition organised to showcase various decorative products prepared by the skilful transgenders, Alisha said she could never have thought she would be one day a team member of the UNDP Pakistan which is a sheer honour and privilege for her.

“I was selected on merit and we are doing great at the UNDP.

“I have done M. Phil in Education Planning Management (EPM) from Bahauddin Zakaria University Multan and have earlier worked with Engro Foods Company as assistant accountant,” she told.

When asked what they were doing at that small exhibition of works by transgenders, Alisha and Aisha said they had come only to express solidarity with their community and to tell them everything is possible in the world.

Aisha who is also M. Phil in Human Resource Management (HRM) from COMSATS University of Islamabad said unfortunately, the general image of transgenders in Pakistan is that of sex workers, dancers and criminals but now times are changing. “We have a transgender TV anchor, a transgender employee in National Database And Regulatory Authority (NADRA), a makeup artist in a TV channel and many other shining examples.”

Aisha herself has the unique honour of being the first-ever transgender in visiting facility at the Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) of Islamabad and taught there for a year. QAU is among Pakistan’s top-ranking public-sector universities.

But how did they achieve such distinction in life?

It was not an easy ride as Alisha had to face discrimination, threats and unfriendly environment at her education institutions, in society and even from her own community.

Her story is that of a typical transgender person. Coming from a rural area in Pakistan in Punjab with limited opportunities she was forced to make various compromises in order just to survive.

“At night I used to dance in private parties and in the day I studied to realise my dream,” said Alisha. But I didn’t lose heart and carried on my struggle against the odds,” said Alisha who hails from Mian Channu a small town in Southern Punjab.

Aisha too faced difficult times but her parents supported her and she did BBA and then briefly did job when she was only 22.

In her M. Phil class she secured 3.7 CGPA and secured second position in overall results.

Hailing from Rawalpindi, Aisha is feeling quite happy with her life and said she was doing great.

When asked if they felt themselves incomplete, Alisha said she was proud being herself.

Aisha too said she achieved her goal and was focusing on her career and helping her community as well as those underprivileged and oppressed members of society.