May 26, 2025
By Iqra Manzoor
LAHORE
A 28 year old transgender Shahab alias Wafa, was shot in the head and killed on Saturday night while returning from a performance program in the Badraga area of Dargai, (Hari Chand), District Malakand. Wafa was from Taro Jaba, District Mardan.
On the night of May 24, while returning from a wedding event, where Wafa had given a dance performance, a man named Shaukat intercepted her as she exited the gate of the venue. Shaukat, armed with a Kalashnikov, was with an unidentified accomplice. At first the attempted to abduct her, but when she tried to speed away in her vehicle, the assailants opened indiscriminate fire, fatally wounding her. Wafa was shot in the head and died on the spot, while her ‘driver’, Naveed Ahmed sustained serious injuries from the gunfire – later after talking to the police from the hospital, Naveed became the complainant of an FIR.
The First Information Report (FIR) for Wafa’s murder case was registered the next day, on May 25 at the Bacha Khan Shaheed Koper Police Station under Sections 427 (mischief causing damage), 302 (murder), 324 (attempted murder), and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
The FIR specifies how Wafa and several other transgender individuals, who had attended the wedding ceremony were stopped by two men on a motorcycle as they left the venue. When they sped away to avoid the confrontation, the two assailants—one identified as Shaukat and the other still unknown—opened fire with a Kalashnikov. Wafa, who was seated in the front seat, was shot in the head and died on the spot. Naveed who was driving sustained serious injuries due to the gunfire.
The incident has caused panic and fear among the transgender community. The police say that after registering the case proceedings have begun against the suspect Shaukat, and the unidentified assailant.
Revenge killing
According to the FIR, Shaukat, had previously been in a relationship with Wafa. However, the relationship ended abruptly, which angered Shaukat, ultimately leading him to commit the act out of revenge.
Case Investigation Officer (IO) Qayyum, told Voicepk they were probing the incident.
“No arrests have been made as yet, but we are actively investigating the case,” he said. “The perpetrators were not present inside the wedding function. They were standing outside the venue gate.”
He added that he had already spoken to Naveed, who had sustained multiple gunshot injuries and was recovering. “He is out of danger and will record his statement once fully recovered,” Qayyum said.
Station In-charge Noor Zameen Shah also spoke to Voicepk, revealing further details: “The deceased and the accused Shaukat had been in a relationship for two years. After it ended, Wafa entered a new relationship with Naveed. Shaukat was unhappy with this, which is believed to be the motive behind the murder.”
Shah added, “The wedding took place in Shaukat’s own village. When he learned that Wafa was attending, he carried out the attack.”
He also confirmed that Shaukat has no prior criminal record and works in the vegetable market. “He used to visit Wafa often,” Shah said. He concluded by noting that the local community is deeply frightened by the incident. “We are trying to gather information and locate Shaukat. We hope to apprehend him soon.”
In response to the incident, the representative of the transgender community from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Farzana Riaz expressed deep sorrow.
“It is extremely tragic that another member of the transgender community has been gunned down. This violence continues unabated—sometimes we are extorted, and other times we are shot.”
153 transpersons killed in KP since 2015 — not a single conviction
Speaking to Voicepk, prominent transgender rights activist Farzana Riaz strongly condemned Wafa’s murder and shed light on the systemic violence and negligence faced by the transgender community in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
“The accused had been continuously harassing Wafa and forcing her to enter into a relationship with him again,” Riaz stated. “He had been threatening to murder her if she refused.”
Farzana Riaz, who has been advocating for transgender rights in KP since 2009, revealed alarming statistics.
“From 2015 to date, 153 transgender individuals have been brutally killed across KP. Our community has been so unfortunate that in all of those 153 cases, not a single perpetrator has been convicted. All of them got away with the crimes they committed.”
She criticized law enforcement authorities for their lack of cooperation and seriousness in handling cases involving transgender individuals. “Police do not cooperate with the transgender community. Either they apply sections of the law that are too weak—allowing the accused to escape justice—or they simply don’t take cases of violence against transgenders seriously.”
Riaz also highlighted how families of the victims often forgive the perpetrators, further weakening the pursuit of justice. “In many cases, the family was never even involved in the registration of the FIR or in pursuing the case,” she explained. “The use of religion and honor is at an extreme in KP.”
Sharing her own experience, Riaz added, “I myself have been receiving serious death threats and have repeatedly requested protection. I have written several complaints and letters to the Inspector General of KP Police, but nobody has responded to me.”
She stressed that abuse, harassment, and threats have become a daily reality for many transgender individuals in the province. “Many transgenders are abused, threatened, and harassed on a daily basis. I believe our government—especially the KP government—does not take the problems of the transgender community seriously. Even the policies that have been formulated by the KP government have not yet been implemented.”
Drawing a comparison with Punjab, Riaz questioned the state’s inconsistency. “KP is also a part of Pakistan. If we talk about Punjab, the government has made significant efforts for the transgender community there. Is KP not a part of Pakistan?”
She concluded with a powerful appeal to the authorities.
“We are humans too. The state should take the rights of transgender people seriously and give us protection. The police must responsibly register FIRs with the appropriate sections and conduct thorough investigations.”
She appealed to the government and human rights organizations to ensure protection for transgender individuals, especially in areas where they face threats.
“We have been raising our voices for the rights of transgender people and will continue to do so. Protection is our right, and the government must ensure our safety. All we can do is protest—if even that is taken away from us, it would be a grave injustice.”
She demanded that the perpetrators be arrested immediately and brought to justice with appropriate punishment.
Wafa’s brutal murder is yet another tragic reminder of the growing insecurity faced by transgender individuals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Despite repeated pleas for protection, the community continues to suffer unchecked violence, with little to no accountability. As activists call for swift justice and systemic reform, the silence and inaction from the authorities only reinforce the perception that the lives of transgender persons remain dangerously undervalued in Pakistan.