Pakistan's transgender becomes first ever newscaster

One of Pakistan’s local broadcasting channel recently marked a milestone by hiring the country’s first transgender newscaster, Maavia Malik.

Fashion model turned news anchor Maavia for the first time went on air during Pakistan Day news transmission on March 23 on Kohenoor News.

The news soon went viral on social media with many appreciating the move by the media organisation.

A local senior journalist Shiraz Hassan tweeted about the newscaster and brought this news to light. Maavia is the first ever transgender newscaster to have been hired in any broadcasting of Pakistan and Shiraz shared a photo of the newscaster as she read the news.

Earlier this month, the Senate passed a key bill to ensure the third gender’s protection against sexual and physical assaults and harassment.

The Criminal Law (Amendment) (Protection of Rights of Transgender Persons) Act 2017 criminalised a host of offences against the transgender persons and provides for awarding stringent punishments to the perpetrators.

In February, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government issued driving licenses to trans people for the first time in history, days after which 40 members of the trans community took oath as members of the scouting community for the first time.

According to 2017 provisional census results, the transgender community in Pakistan numbers 10,418. The Supreme Court has designated transgender people as a third gender, which under law should afford them protection, but in practice, incidents of violence and discrimination against members of the community are still widespread.

As soon as the tweet was posted, the social media started showering Maavia with a lot of positive response and best wishes.

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Shiraz Hassan

✔@ShirazHassan

#Pakistan first transgender news caster on screen now - Maavia Malik pic.twitter.com/uXJipyrEfL

Dr Mehmood Riaz Gill@drgills73

MashaAllah great move.we must give and provide equal opportunities for them rather they will bagging dancing of the road.They deserve education and to be respected as well. Bravo to this news channel.

11:37 AM - Mar 24, 2018

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