A transgender named Khan Ullah alias Sheena was shot dead after being beaten up in the Kalu Khan area of Swabi district on Sunday, said Trans Action Pakistan.

According Qamar Nasim, an activist associated with Trans Action Pakistan, a group of armed men on Sunday night raided Sheena's house, beat her up and then shot her dead.

He accused the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government of completely failing to protect transgenders in the province, saying that 56 transgenders have been killed since 2015.

Kalu Khan Station House Officer (SHO) Shafiur Rehman confirmed the incident. A first information report (FIR) has been registered against unidentified assailants and investigation is underway. The motive of the killing is not known as yet.

Cases of violence against the transgender community are a common occurrence in Pakistan.

According to Trans Action Alliance KP, seven transgender persons were killed in the province in 2017, while 208 cases of different kinds of violence, including sexual harassment, rape, gang rape, torture, extortion, denial of access to services, and misbehaviour at police stations and public spaces were recorded.