Afghan national confesses to killing transgender friend

Accused cites ‘betrayal’ as motive for the crime

PESHAWAR:

In a startling turn of events, the perpetrator behind the tragic killing of the renowned transgender individual, Laiq, also known as Malala, has been revealed to be none other than her Afghan friend. The accused cited "betrayal" as the motive for the crime.

The fugitive suspect, who had been attempting to flee the country from Quetta, was apprehended by law enforcement officers. In a subsequent confession, he disclosed that he attempted to dispose of the victim's body by throwing it into the Attock River in an ill-conceived bid to conceal his heinous act.

District Police Officer Nowshera, Nasir Mahmood, shared the chilling details of the murder. On September 20, the Khairabad Police received information about a mutilated body found on the banks of the River Indus at Khairabad. The deceased was identified as transgender individual Laiq, alias Malala, a resident of Kohat Road in Peshawar.

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A murder case (No. 891) was promptly registered on the same day based on the complaint of the deceased's friend, Jawad, alias Miss Kohat, invoking section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code at Akora Police station.

To expedite the arrest of the accused, DPO Nasir Mahmood formed a joint investigation team comprising DSP Akora Arshad Ahmed, DSP Cantt Ehsan Shah, and SHO Akora Waqas Yousuf. The team initiated a thorough investigation from multiple angles.

The case posed a significant challenge for the police, requiring the use of modern technology to trace the accused. The suspect, identified as Hamid, son of Sher Zameen, an Afghan national residing in Peshawar's Hazar Khwani area, was also involved in the scrap business.

During the initial interrogation, the accused confessed to the crime, providing gruesome details of the incident. He admitted to having an illicit relationship with the victim since 2019, expressing jealousy over her association with another individual. He claimed to have coerced her to end the friendship, leading to a heated argument on September 20, during which he fatally shot her in Hayatabad.

Subsequently, the accused faced the daunting task of concealing his crime. He confessed to placing the victim's body inside a sack and, on his way to dispose of it, used a taxi. When the taxi driver inquired about the contents of the sack, he fabricated a false story, stating that it contained sacred religious texts destined for disposal in the Attock River.

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Notably, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) has witnessed the tragic murders of approximately 70 transgender individuals in recent years, with over 60 per cent of these crimes being attributed to disputes arising from personal relationships, as reported by The Express Tribune.

Arzoo Khan, president of the Transgender Association Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, commended the K-P police for their diligent efforts in arresting the accused and ensuring that justice is served. She called upon the government to provide adequate security to protect transgender individuals, emphasising the importance of their safety and well-being.