KARACHI: Around 40 transgender persons have been selected as the members of Pakistan Boy Scouts Association (PBSA), a national scouting organization and one of the largest volunteer forces in the country, during a ceremony held in a local hotel.
PBSA was founded in 1947 and aims to train young boys in first aid, civil defense, camping and hiking, community development projects and emergency response and holds regular camps, hikes, speech contests and other activities such as tree planting camps and peace camps.
It became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in April 1948.Today, there are more than 700,000 members in the PBSA.
The young transgenders, wearing scout scarfs, took the oath at the welcome ceremony. They were briefed about the responsibilities as PBSA members.
“Such opportunities are very rare. This will give us help us to show the community that we are normal people doing normal things and this may make them comfortable hiring us for actual jobs,” said Bindiya Rana, who is the president of the Gender Interactive Alliance in Sindh “We feel we are finally being recognized as equal citizens of Pakistan and are glad to see that the level of our acceptance is increasing,” said TransAction Alliance president Farzana Jan, addressing a ceremony in Karachi. She said that the transgender community is extremely happy to be welcomed into the scouting community. Farzana is also the only transgender person who has been selected as a scout from Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa province.
Chairman of the Petarian Human Rights Organization, Ihsan Khosa said the ceremony as a defining moment for the transgender community.
“PBSA is open to all, without distinction of origin, race or creed,” said Atif Amin Hussain, Commissioner IPC Sindh Boys Scouts.
The Sindh and Pakistan boys scout association is not a gender-specific organization, said Akhter Mir, secretary of the Sindh Boys Scout Association, told the Arab News.
“Our association is primarily aimed at youth development and motivation. Transgender people are also youth, and we don’t discriminate on the basis of gender,” he said.
Transgender persons chosen as scouts
Transgender persons chosen as scouts
Bilateral trade, investment, defense in focus as Indonesian president visits Pakistan today
- President Prabowo Subianto will arrive on a two-day visit in Islamabad, leading high-level delegation of ministers, officials
- Indonesian president to hold delegation-level meeting with PM Shehbaz Sharif, oversee signing of several agreements
ISLAMABAD: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan today, Monday, on a two-day visit aimed at exploring new avenues of cooperation with Islamabad in trade, defense, investment, health, education and other sectors, the Pakistani foreign ministry said.
This marks Subianto’s maiden visit to Pakistan and the first by an Indonesian president to the country since 2018. Subianto will arrive in Islamabad leading a high-level delegation of senior ministers and officials, with his trip coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Jakarta.
Subianto will hold delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and will also meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir during his two-day visit.
“The two sides will discuss a wide-ranging agenda aimed at further strengthening Pakistan-Indonesia relations and exploring new avenues of cooperation, including trade, investment, defense, health, IT, climate, education and culture, as well as enhancing collaboration at regional and global levels,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said on Sunday.
“Several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed during the visit.”
Pakistan and Indonesia enjoy close, cordial and long-standing relations rooted in shared values and mutual interests. The foreign office said the Indonesian president’s visit will provide a key opportunity for both sides to deepen bilateral ties and expand mutually beneficial cooperation.
Indonesia is also home to a few hundred Pakistani expatriates, many of whom are engaged in businesses such as restaurants, the selling of hand-knotted carpets, precious stones, textile items and herbal medicines.
