Through free of cost education, AIOU seeks the lost dignity of Transgender community of Pakistan on the way

Congrats! You got a moon like a daughter in Law, she is cute baby doll….

Said immediately a “Human being” having no sexual orientation, when she entered my home after a few days of my brother’s wedding. I will use “she” for her, because of her dressing and style.

She clapped several times while talking to my mom and after a few minutes when her prayers for my brother and his wife ended, she ordered a few men to start the music.

Probably she was going to dance to get some money because this is the only way for such people’s earnings. But my Mom did not allow her dancing there and just asked whatever service she wants.

She demanded some cash that Mom entrust her happily saying that it’s your right.

Mom’s words made me stunned and I asked her the reason for this profession. She just smiled in a sad manner and said, I don’t want to do, I am a graduate and Hafiz -e- Quran too, I was teaching Tafseer in a school but society didn’t allow me.

She told me that even her parents enabled her to get independent and make earnings so that she can live a dignified life but society took her as a hurdle in the marital setup of her sisters, so she prefered leaving home and doing the things society expects of her.

Her story depicted a range of people like her who couldn’t survive social behaviour and turned the noble way of living into a dancer’s life who seeks after money to meet basic requirements.

Such circumstances did not end up even with the announcement of issuance of CNIC -that ensures a noble lifestyle- of disregarded people. But authorities did not give up their struggle and are doing whatever they feel suitable in upgrading the social value of the transgender community of Pakistan.

Now Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has introduced a programme to give free education to this long-lost society, to improve their conditions in the society.

The Varsity is already running several programmes to benefit several relegated and defamed people.

Dr Shahid Siddiqui the vice chancellor of AIOU claims earlier running of several successful programmes for stigmatized and disregarded section of the society. And now they are adding a programme in the line of their projects for the betterment of transgender people of Pakistan.

This newly launched programme is expected to be the cause of the return of the long-lost self-respect of the transgender community of Pakistan. So we can expect them to be responsible residents of Pakistan instead of being a mark of shame for family and cause of amusement for the others.

The programme has been launched recently in Chakwal, Nankana Sahib, Thatta and Kharian.

The free of cost education programme has also been launched for the girls who got dropped out of school for any reason.