In a first, as many as 40 transgenders took an oath to become members of the scouting community at a ceremony held at a hotel in Karachi on Friday.

It was the first instance in the country when transgender youth were welcomed into the Pakistan Boy Scouts Association (PBSA), a national scouting organisation and one of the largest volunteer forces in the country.

The young transgenders, wearing scout scarfs, took the oath at the ceremony and were educated about scouting rules.

TransAction Alliance president Farzana Jan while addressing the ceremony said the transgender community in Pakistan is extremely happy to be welcomed into the scouting community.

"We feel that we are recognised as equal citizens of Pakistan and we are glad to see that the level of our acceptance is increasing," said Jan, who is the only transgender from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to be admitted to PBSA so far. Read more via Dawn