First transgender news anchor of Pakistan 'Marvia Malik' survives Gun Attack

Marvia Malik was returning from a pharmacy when two assailants opened fire on her in an attempt to kill her, Dawn reported.

Malik told the police that he had been receiving threat calls for some time for raising his voice for the transgender community in Pakistan and cited his "activism" as the reason behind the attack. 

In 2018, Malik made history by becoming the first transgender person to become a news anchor in the Islamic Republic. He was employed by the Pakistan-based Kohinoor News, but revealed in several interviews that it was not an easy road to achieve this feat. Many difficulties had to be faced.

Marvia Malik told American broadcaster Voice of America in a telephonic interview that like other trans people, I didn't get any support from my family. On my own, I did some odd jobs and continued my studies. I always wanted to be a news anchor and my dream came true when I got selected.

Through her work, she hopes to change perceptions about the transgender community. In a previous interview to news agency AP, he said, "Transgender people are equally capable of doing anything if given a chance."

He said, “Our degrees are of no use…Even if we ask for a job, we are rejected because of our identity, I want to change this mindset."