Transgender part of a team of boy scouts being sent to 2018 Haj pilgrimage
Islamabad sources have stated that for the first time in the history of Pakistan, transgender will be part of a team of boy scouts being sent to Saudi Arabia to serve as volunteers during 2018 Haj pilgrimage. IPC Sindh Boys Scouts Commissioner Atif Amin Husain was quoted "Efforts for sending transgender youth to Saudi Arabia to serve as Khuddamul Hujjaj (volunteers during the annual Haj) are underway".
Husain said "At least two to three transgender persons will be selected from each of the remaining three provinces for joining the scouting community that leaves for Saudi Arabia every year". Further Husain feels that by joining the PBSA, transgender youth would get social acceptance, attain confidence, feel secure and move forward.
Meanwhile the Blue Veins Program Coordinator
Qamar Naseem said that after the recruitment of 40 transgender in Sindh, his organization
is planning recruitment processes in Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and
Balochistan. Furthermore he termed the recruitment step a positive initiative
that would help the transgender community in improving its image at local as
well as regional level.