Two transgender individuals named Bilal (alias Sobia Khan) and Zohaib Ahmad, have joined the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Prisons Department as warders, marking the first such instance in the province’s history.
The two candidates secured their positions after passing physical tests, written examinations, and formal interviews. According to prison officials, the department had allocated 18 posts under a specific quota for transgender persons, but only two individuals applied for the roles. Authorities attributed the low turnout to a lack of awareness within the community regarding government job opportunities.
Chief Minister Sohail Afridi handed over the appointment letters during a ceremony on Wednesday. Department officials stated that the selection process was based entirely on merit, with both Khan and Ahmad meeting the same benchmarks required of all applicants.
Sobia Khan is assigned to the women’s section of Central Jail Peshawar.
IG (Inspector General) Prisons Rehan Gul Khattak maintained that the department hires based on duty rather than labels. “I am confident they will make our jails more professional and more humane,” Khattak stated, noting that both recruits proved their abilities at every stage of the hiring process.
Farzana Jan of the Transgender Rights Network noted that the law only becomes justice when it changes lives, suggesting that other departments should follow this example.
