Police clueless in transgender person’s killing case in Sahiwal

Video of victim spreads fear and panic in transgender community

LAHORE: Educationists, transgender community activists, students and showbiz personalities across Pakistan have demanded of the government to take action against the people involved in the killing of a transgender person in Sahiwal.

The victim, identified as Majid aka Kashif, was found in a critical condition with 80% burns and later breathed his last on way to a local hospital. Police are still clueless about killers and the reason behind the incident. The only thing the police could find was the identification of the victim whose name was written on the arm.



On the other hand, angry reaction, protests and concerns of artistes’ community poured on social media after a video of the killing went viral.

According to the postmortem report, the victim was born as transgendered. Police said the victim was buried as no one came to receive the body for final rites.

Condemning the incident, Neeli Rana, a transgender person activist, said the killing has spread fear and panic in the transgender community. “This is a cruel and terrible example of the killing and we want justice,” she said. “We are poor and struggling hard to make ends meet by entertaining people.”

“I have watched the video of the victim. It seems that we are living in a barbarian society where there is no right of the transgender people. This is the worst example of cruelty. I have also shared the video on my Facebook profile and will raise voice on every platform for justice against the incident,” Megha, a film and theater actress, said.

“It is sad that still, the police could not find the reason behind the killing. The incident is very painful and it shocked everyone who watched the video on social media,” Dr Munawer Sabir, an educationist, remarked.

“The supreme institutions of the country should take notice of the issue and they should dig out the killers as I have not seen such a killing of a transgender person in my life,” said Diya Ali, renowned model.



I am concerned about the situation what is going on in our country,” she added. “One of our community members was burnt alive and I condemn this incident and demand justice from the government of Pakistan.”

“I am surprised why the police buried the body in a hurry without proper investigation. I demand of the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the Punjab chief minister to order police to submit a reply over this killing,” said Almas Bobi, the president of a transgender rights body in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2018.