Allama Iqbal Open University announces free education for transgenders

E-Paper | July 22, 2026

Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has announced to provide free education for transgenders across the country, DawnNews learned on Tuesday.

The university, that offers distance learning, will offer education from matriculation to PhD as well as vocational training to transgenders without any charges. The students will be able to choose any subject they wish to study.

AIOU Vice-Chancellor Shahid Siddiqui told DawnNews that the university aims to educate and train transgenders so that they can play a productive role in society.

"There are a lot of stigmas in our society due to which transgenders are shunned by society," he said. "By offering them free education and training, we hope to make them a part of mainstream society."

The students who will enrol in the programme won't be required to come to university and educational equipment will be provided to them at their doorstep, the VC added.

"They will receive education like any other student," he said.

Siddiqui said that all regional centres of the university had started to receive applications from candidates.

Education

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Observer - Canada

Oct 03, 2017 11:50pm

No doubt, intention of the University is to help transgenders but unfortunately this is also a subtle form of discrimination that is, waiving off fees for transgenders. Those who matter in the matter should think over it.

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Shakir Rasheed Khan Khattak

Oct 03, 2017 11:58pm

Exactly they should be trained and educate so that they take part in the Development of Our Home Country Pakistan. and play positive role for the betterment of their and as well as for Pakistan. Really the dream of mine comes true, i haven't have resources to get started but happy to see AIOU as they started. I wish that Gov of PAKISTAN will help them in this and also will take step to educate the children who can't afford to get educate. Pakistan population greater population is based on YOUTH and Childrens. Long Live Pakistan

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RABIA

Oct 04, 2017 12:04am

this program very nice for those students who are finical poor

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Shahzad

Oct 04, 2017 12:06am

That is a good step finally by pak govt. Please make sure it happens in spirit also.

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waqas

Oct 04, 2017 12:09am

A really good step.

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AngryCitizen

Oct 04, 2017 12:52am

It is matric, short form of matriculation - not 'metric'.

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Rauf

Oct 04, 2017 01:35am

Very positive step. Transgenders have all rights to live normal life. We all should take steps to treat them as normal humans.

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Questioner

Oct 04, 2017 01:48am

Excellent step. Will help transgender people to acquire useful skills. Overall, society has to change its attitudes as well, so that transgenders can integrate into the workforce.

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LOVE PAKISTAN

Oct 04, 2017 02:02am

Good initiative but need some modification. To make them part of society they must attend classes as other students attend . Withoit this we will b unable to remove this stigma . Not only giving education is the solution but also giving jobs will help them to move in society.

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Khuram Shahzad

Oct 04, 2017 02:59am

Dear readers, I appreciate AIOU's endeavors to educate the most neglected members of our society and we all call them TRANSGENDER. I SALUTE Allama Iqbal Open University's efforts to accommodate this group of community with education. This is indeed a great step to show the world that we are Pakistani and we believe in equal opportunity for all regardless of creed, culture, race, religion and of course sex. Hats off AIOU. MAY you do more .

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Saqlain

Oct 04, 2017 03:29am

That's a perfect decision, I can just salute you people for this historic decision. God bless you decision makers.

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Syed

Oct 04, 2017 04:29am

Appreciate the initiative. Consider it as first drop of rain. Expect more from people/citizens to feel the ownership and responsibility of the community. Just become better part of society.

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Hasnain

Oct 04, 2017 04:33am

Thats one of the best news I have heard in a long time!

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abdulrahman

Oct 04, 2017 06:48am

This must be the first of its kind! very good initiative. must be appreciated. There should be companies and government departments where they can be hired for the jobs. Also they should be provided funds to do business if they got the required talent. Most of the transgender leave their home due to the inappropriate attitude from the society. In my company's Philippine branch there are almost 15 Trans are working and 6 out of 15 are Team Leaders! They can prove themselves if provided proper platform.

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A&A

Oct 04, 2017 07:19am

Good step

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praduman bajpai

Oct 04, 2017 07:58am

I hail this decision of the university of educating the transgenders.Want to know wheather somebody from foreign can also study here?

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AJK

Oct 04, 2017 08:37am

Wow... Highly respect this move, to consolidate sidelined sectors of society!

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leoman

Oct 04, 2017 10:06am

Very good decision but very late. However, the real requirement is to educate those also who are non transgenders.They must be educated properly to care about all human beings and even the animals. Education is actually widely needed and some more vital steps should be taken to educate properly everyone. By just favouring a few won't do all. Education is very expensive for many and no government has yet taken any step to spread it at wider scale. Moreover, the right kind of syllabi and the real functional one, updated regularly must be introduced at all the levels. However, congratulations to AIOU for taking a step in the right direction.

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imdadali

Oct 04, 2017 02:12pm

excellent step to be proved fruitful and definitely will ehance the morale of the transgender community who always remained inferior as second rate citizen. this type of facilitates to be announced by other state institutes also.

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fifi07

Oct 04, 2017 04:04pm

great initiative! well done.

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Rozina Hirani

Oct 04, 2017 08:11pm

I really appreciate this productive effort of moving our society towards a better future by training those personalities which are part of our society so that they can earn respect and money to lead a better life. None of us ever think about this noble act before so hatsoff to u guys n best of luck.

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Aqsa

Oct 05, 2017 09:01am

Much appreciated! A very good step to make them a productive independent part of the society

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Humanity

Oct 05, 2017 11:57am

@Observer - Canada its the concept of reserved seats and it only happens when one community (color , gender, sex) is being completely shunned. It was only through reserved seats that we were able to get colored people into schools and university in the West and same for women. Also this is AIOU... extremely low fee... I would hardly call this discrimination. Ask a poor family if they will send their kids to the same school as transgender with all few waived and 9/10 times the poor family will say HELL NO. It is this stigma which these reserved sears fight against. Once this community is educated and can find jobs and improve their standard of living they won't need reserved seats. It's a process. It's an attempt at social change. It takes time. I hope You don't see it as discrimination anymore. A lot of children in Pakistan even today get free education through charity in much better school and uni than AIOU.

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Kokab Noreen

Oct 05, 2017 12:03pm

respectfully sir Very nice program i also want to study please send me address . i am living in Gulistan-e Johar Block 10 Karachi

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Noman Afzal

Oct 05, 2017 07:17pm

great step to take back in the mainstream

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Abdul Waheed Qadri

Oct 05, 2017 10:07pm

Wel done,great job nd positive step taken by AIOU...