SWAT: The police on Monday claimed to have arrested a man for killing a transgender person and injuring another here on Sunday evening.

Mingora police officials said a firing incident had occurred on Sunday evening when Nawab, a resident of Matta, opened fire on a vehicle carrying some transgender people to their home after attending a dance party.

In the firing, a transgender person, identified as Mohammad Usama alias Mah Noor, was killed. The deceased was a resident of Nazim Abad, Karachi, but was presently living in Sohrab Khan Chowk, Mingora. Another transgender individual was injured, identified as Israr, a resident of Mardan. He was also presently living in Soharab Khan Chowk.

The police had lodged FIR against the accused on the complaint of the transgender persons and started a search for his arrest.

“Nawab was arrested from his house in Matta,” officials said.

“The accused used to come to our house and asked Mah Noor to stop dancing. He also used to threaten her not to go out of the house. On Sunday evening, we were coming back from a dance party in Fatehpur area. When we reached Taj Chowk, Mingora, the accused, who was already there, stopped our vehicle and opened indiscriminate fire on us leaving Mah Noor dead on the spot,” said Israr, who was injured in the incident.

“We have to attend dance parties to earn a living. But some bad people come to our houses and make strange demands,” said Nadia Khan, president of transgender persons’ association in Mingora. She said the transgender community was grateful to the Swat police for taking immediate action against the accused.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2023