Activist Sarah Gill becomes Pakistan’s first transgender doctor

Islamabad: Leading activist Sarah Gill has become Pakistan’s first transgender doctor after clearing the MBBS (Final) examination from Karachi’s Jinnah Medical and Dental College.

Gill, 23, is also associated with an NGO working for the welfare of the transgender community in Pakistan.

”I am proud to be Pakistan’s first [transgender] doctor. I will work for the welfare of my community,” Gill told The News International newspaper.

”No one can stop you from achieving something if you’re passionate about it. There are difficulties in life. I wanted to make Pakistan famous and my parents have also accepted me after I became a doctor,” Dunya News quoted Gill as saying.

The activist also talked about how parents in Pakistan throw their transgender children out of their houses because of the pressure from society.

”Stop throwing your children out of the houses because of the pressure of society. It’s just the start, things will get better in the future,” Gill said.

Pakistan in recent years has taken steps to empower its transgender population, including allowing them to get registered as transgender citizens. A special act was passed on in 2018 to protect their right and outlaw discrimination against them.

Last year in July, members of the transgender community attended the first day of school after a special institute was opened for them in Multan, which offers classes from nursery till intermediate.