ISLAMABAD – Amid the ongoing recruitment process in Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), it has been learnt that around 32 transgender individuals from across the country have applied for various positions. This development comes nearly a year after a controversial incident in Islamabad, where an accused was allegedly subjected to abuse while in FIA custody. In light of that episode, the recruitment process continues, but internal discussions within FIA circles reportedly suggest that if transgender candidates are selected, authorities may avoid posting them in Islamabad, particularly due to sensitivities arising after last year’s incident.
Sources further reveal that the majority of these transgender applicants belong to Punjab and Sindh. Questions are also being raised within official circles regarding whether transgender candidates benefit from any formal quota in government departments or are given preference on humanitarian or sympathetic grounds. In this context, FIA officials are expected to ensure strict verification of applicants claiming to be transgender, to confirm whether such claims are genuine or merely an attempt to gain advantage in the recruitment process.
This concern stems from a growing trend where some Pakistani nationals, particularly abroad, allegedly declare themselves transgender to seek asylum or gain sympathy-based benefits. Observers claim that this pattern has increasingly been replicated domestically as well.
Over the past decade, there has been a noticeable surge in the number of individuals identifying as transgender in Pakistan. However, distinguishing between genuine and fraudulent claims has become increasingly difficult, raising serious administrative and ethical challenges for authorities.
