TODAY’S PAPER | September 25, 2025 | EPAPER

Protest staged against killing of trans persons

Transgender community, civil society demand protection, justice


Our Correspondent September 25, 2025 Less than a minute read
Members of the transgender community and civil society gather in solemn protest outside the Karachi Press Club, their voices rising in grief and defiance after the brutal murders of three transgender individuals. Under the banner "Justice for the Khwaja Sira Community," they demand swift arrests and lasting protection — before more lives are lost to silence. Photo Jalal Qureshi/EXPRESS

KARACHI:

Members of the transgender community and civil society held a protest outside the Karachi Press Club to condemn the recent brutal murders of three transgender persons and to demand immediate arrests and justice.

The demonstration, organized under the banner "Justice for the Khwaja Sira Community," drew transgender leaders including Chandni Shah, Dr. Sarah Gul, Advocate Nisha Rao, Kami Choudhry and Bandia Rana, as well as supporters from the Awami Workers Party. Protesters urged the federal and provincial governments to ensure the safety of the community and bring the killers to account.

Bandia Rana, chairperson of GIA, said the transgender community is staging peaceful demonstrations to highlight its grievances. She warned that targeted killings of trans people are continuing, with similar protests taking place in Hyderabad and Sukkur over the recent murders. Rana said many transgender persons face chronic unemployment and are excluded from government jobs, forcing some into begging for survival. She added that the community lacks basic services and is further harmed by false propaganda circulated by certain elements.

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