KARACHI: In a unique gesture, a 17-year-old boy has been granted his wish to become a soldier in the Pakistan Army for a single day by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif, ISPR said.

Shoaib Aurangzeb, a boy who is suffering from Thalassemia, was made a soldier for a day after expressing his desire through a letter to General Raheel Sharif.

The COAS met Shoaib and granted him his wish to become part of the Pakistan Army.

He also inquired about his health and appreciated his spirits and resolve for the defence of the motherland.

Later Shoaib visited an army unit in Malir and spent his day with the troops.

Thalassemia is a disease caused by the weakening and destruction of red blood cells and can be the cause of significant complications, including pneumonia, iron overload, bone deformities and cardiovascular illness.

The Thalassaemia Federation of Pakistan (TFP) has said that Beta Thalassaemia is the most common inherited disorder in Pakistan with a prevalence rate of six per cent.

Read more: Over 50,000 beta thalassaemia kids in Pakistan

With a population of over 180 million, around 11 million people in Pakistan are carriers of this gene. It is the most common inherited blood disorder in the world.