Transgender gunned down in Swabi

Community subjected to frequent attacks in K-P

PESHAWAR: At least one transgender individual was killed late Sunday night when unknown assailants opened fire at an event in Swabi.

The incident took place near a Shewa Adda spot frequented by members of the community. The suspects fled after opening fire.

The body of the deceased has been sent to a hospital for autopsy. Police said a search had been launched to nab the suspects.

Transgender individuals are frequently attacked in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa [K-P] with highest number of cases reported from the provincial capital followed by Mardan, Nowshera, Swabi, Swat, and Bannu.

In March, a transgender individual and her friend were killed in broad daylight on Peshawar's Ring Road when unknown motorcyclists opened fire at them as they travelled in a rickshaw.

In 2018, 53 cases of violence against transgender individuals were reported in K-P alone, according to rights group TransAction Alliance. Of these, one individual was killed.  A total of 1,131 cases of violence against transgender persons were reported in K-P over 2015-17. Of these, 55 were killed.



Data showed 42 transgender individuals were killed by their boyfriends/ partners while four were killed for 'honor' by relatives in Buner and Mardan. Last year, seven transgender individuals were killed in Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan and Buner.

A total of 208 cases of violence against transgender individuals were reported from K-P in 2017. Of these 78 were of intimate partner violence, 46 of rape, 42 of torture by relatives, 31 of violence by strangers and 11 of police torture among others.