Transgender person killed, another injured in Peshawar shooting

A transgender person was killed and another injured after unidentified assailants opened fire on the victims near Raja Ground Bridge in Peshawar, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), police said on Thursday.

The deceased was identified as Mishal aka Mishi, while the injured transgender person was identified as Baseer aka Tara.

According to information available to The Express Tribune, Mishal, accompanied by her friend Tara, had gone to retrieve her mobile phone and money from another friend, which resulted in an altercation leading to the firing incident.

Police said the incident occurred within the jurisdiction of Chamkani Police Station. After being alerted, officers reached the scene and shifted Mishal’s body to the hospital for a post-mortem examination. Forensic evidence was also collected from the crime scene.

Tara was taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds, police added.

An investigation team headed by the Rural Division superintendent of police has been formed to trace and arrest the suspects on the run.

K-P Transgender Community President and Manzil Foundation Executive Director Arzoo Khan strongly condemned the murder.

Read: K-P transgender policy

Arzoo Khan said, “The continuous targeting of transgender people is unacceptable and requires immediate punitive action.”

She called on the K-P police to arrest the accused without further delay and appealed to the provincial government to ensure that justice is served.

The activist further demanded that the government must undertake effective measures to protect the transgender community, and “put an end to the impunity and fearlessness surrounding acts of violence against them.”