PESHAWAR: A transgender individual was killed on Sunday when unknown assailants opened fire at an event in Swabi. The incident took place near a Shewa Adda spot frequented by members of the community. The suspects fled after opening fire. The body of the deceased has been sent to a hospital for autopsy. Police said a search had been launched to nab the suspects. Transgender individuals are frequently attacked in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa with highest number of cases reported from the provincial capital followed by Mardan, Nowshera, Swabi, Swat and Bannu. In March, a transgender individual and her friend were killed in broad daylight on Peshawar’s Ring Road when unknown motorcyclists opened fire at them as they travelled in a rickshaw. In 2018, 53 cases of violence against transgender individuals were reported in KP alone, according to rights group TransAction Alliance. Of these, one individual was killed. A total of 1,131 cases of violence against transgender persons were reported in KP over 2015-17. Of these, 55 were killed. Data showed 42 transgender individuals were killed by their partners/lovers while four were killed for ‘honour’ by relatives in Buner and Mardan. Last year, seven transgender individuals were killed in Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan and Buner. A total of 208 cases of violence against transgender individuals were reported from KP in 2017. Of these, 78 were of intimate partner violence, 46 of rape, 42 of torture by relatives, 31 of violence by strangers and 11 of police torture among others. Published in Daily Times, April 24th 2018.