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Nisha Rao is the first transgender student at Karachi University

Nisha Rao is the first transgender student at Karachi University

Rao, who is already a lawyer and activist, was admitted to the varsity's MPhil programme to study law.
13 Sep, 2021

Nisha Rao has become Pakistan's first transgender student to be granted admission into an MPhil programme to study law. She will be pursuing her LLM degree from the University of Karachi.

Rao is a transgender person, many of whom lead difficult lives because they are treated as outcasts. She ran away from her home in Lahore at the age of 18 and eventually arrived in Karachi where she Rao was forced to resort to begging on the streets for survival. While elders from the transgender community advised Rao to beg or become a sex worker to survive, she used alms collected through begging to pay for law classes. After several years, Rao earned a law degree, gaining her law licence in 2020 and joining the Karachi Bar Association.

The lawyer recently became the first transgender person to gain admission in an MPhil programme at Karachi University. According to the public relations office at the university, Rao is the first transgender student to have gained admission in any programme since the university's inception. Karachi University recently opened admissions to transgender students for all programmes for the very first time, allowing Rao to send in her application to KU's law school.

News of Rao's admission was also announced by the Trans Pride Society, an NGO for the rights of transgender people founded by Rao herself. The society took to Instagram to make the announcement. "A momentous day! Nisha Rao, Founder and President of Trans Pride Society, was admitted to the University of Karachi for their Master of Laws Program (LLM)," they wrote. "Pictured next to Vice Chancellor of Karachi University, Professor Dr. Khalid M Iraqi, Nisha is ecstatic for the next step in her journey as Pakistan’s First Transgender Lawyer.

"Nisha is the first member of the transgender community to study Law at Karachi University. Nisha hopes she inspires her community members to strive to reach their goals with unfaltering faith, even if they are faced with resolute opposition at times, as she did. Nisha wishes those wanting to achieve their goals great perseverance, determination and resilience and thanks everyone for their support in her journey!" the message read.

Karachi University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi told Images, that the decision to admit Rao was taken at a meeting of the Board of Advanced Studies and Research (BASR) after evaluating her application. While the university does not have policies to facilitate transgender students, be it against harassment or any other difficulties, the VC said Rao will be offered "institutional support" to facilitate her journey in every way possible.

According to the university's public relations office, Rao has not been awarded a scholarship to fund her LLM studies. At the moment the university offers no scholarships specifically for students from the transgender community. Rao will be pursuing the degree by making payment herself.

According to the Higher Education Commission, a two-year LLM degree is generally recognised by the HEC as equivalent to an MPhil degree.

With additional reporting by Syed Wasim

Comments

Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Sep 13, 2021 12:09pm
Gender equality at its best in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
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A Bostonian Sep 13, 2021 12:18pm
Which of them is Nisha, the tall one?
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Tanvir Khan Sep 13, 2021 12:38pm
I hope that one day Nisha Rao will become Chief Justice of a secular Pakistan and struggle for equality and rights of all genders.
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NYS Sep 13, 2021 12:48pm
Nisha has the audicity to think of her positive future applaud!
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Truth be told Sep 13, 2021 12:57pm
I hope Pakistanis are aware of the differences between transgender, transsexual and cross dresser.
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Solangi Sep 13, 2021 01:37pm
Is the news? The real news is that, KU is in a state of total mess! But no one has courage to cover it!
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M. Saeed Sep 13, 2021 02:11pm
Knowledge knows no gender barriers. Creator, only knows his creations.
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AZAM AKBAR Sep 13, 2021 02:30pm
Wishing Nisha Rao prosperity and success.
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Henchi Sep 13, 2021 04:10pm
Light year achievement.
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Hamed Sep 13, 2021 04:10pm
My respect for having strong guts. Wish you all the best.
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Khalid Sep 13, 2021 04:32pm
Well done, remarkable struggle, keep fighting, our prayers & well wishes for you, great person
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Riaz Uddin Sep 13, 2021 04:38pm
Salute to theirs courage and endurance it ran through struggling and and being able carve out an honourable position into a society where transgenders are considered a burden. Bravo!
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Babaji Sep 13, 2021 06:11pm
She’s stronger and wiser than most people I know !
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Fawad Sep 13, 2021 06:25pm
@A Bostonian some people don’t stop at anything….instead of encouragement, your ignorance, arrogance , foolishness, and all in between is showing it’s colors.
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Shida Talli Sep 13, 2021 06:30pm
@A Bostonian commonsense?!
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Sid C Sep 13, 2021 07:02pm
@A Bostonian It took no time and you guys show your mentality.
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Sid C Sep 13, 2021 07:04pm
Great news , congratulations Rao and Karachi University.
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Shahzad Sep 13, 2021 08:00pm
Having 2 transgender first cousins who were badly treated by my family I am glad there are other venues now open for them other than dancing on the streets. Pakistan needs such positive role models like Nisha.
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Gollum Sep 13, 2021 10:03pm
Great very good.. keep it up
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Ahsan Gul Sep 14, 2021 12:16am
@A Bostonian - why you want to know? Don’t be so inhuman. Sincerely
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Omar Khan Sep 14, 2021 02:26am
@Tanvir Khan I Support this a 100%!! Proud of Nisha!!
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A Sep 14, 2021 06:02am
Why was it not allowed?
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Anonymouseee Sep 14, 2021 07:23am
All humans must be treated equal.
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Kashif Baloch Sep 14, 2021 07:51am
Excellent! She must have had to work five times as hard as others admitted in the graduate program at KU. Hopefully our society will someday realize that gender has nothing to do with one’s ability to perform a function.
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ambreen Sep 14, 2021 08:30am
@A Bostonian joke ??? Not funny !
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Abid Nasim Sep 14, 2021 08:32am
Maverick! Moment of Pride
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Rubina Sep 14, 2021 09:20am
She is a role model for all communities that life can be led with prosperity if you have guts
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Asad Khan Sep 14, 2021 08:30pm
@A Bostonian shorter person. See her Instagram. It is a moving self made story
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Pehlwan Pathana Sep 15, 2021 01:24am
She can fight for rights and wrongs.
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Indian Kiwi Sep 15, 2021 02:15pm
All the best to Nisha Rao
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Ali Sep 20, 2021 01:33am
Hats off to Rao for struggling during her younger years and never giving up,hope Rao passes her LLM exams with flying colours.
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