Karachi [Pakistan], September 22 : Three transgender individuals were fatally shot near the Memon Goth police station in Pakistan's Karachi, The Express Tribune reported, citing officials.
Police, Rangers personnel, and rescue teams cordoned off the area shortly after receiving reports of the incident, while a crime scene unit was called in to collect evidence.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Malir, Abdul Khaliq Pirzada, who visited the site, told reporters that all three victims had been shot once, two in the chest and one in the head. "No documents or mobile phones were recovered from the deceased that could help identify them," he said.
Authorities recovered two 9mm pistol shells, a torch, a tissue roll, and other items from the scene. Fingerprints have been taken for identification, and local residents are being questioned to assist in the probe. SSP Pirzada noted that while there were no CCTV cameras directly covering the site, nearby footage is being reviewed for potential leads, The Express Tribune reported.
Preliminary observations suggest the shootings occurred at the location where the bodies were found, as two bullet casings were recovered from the scene. Two bodies were discovered together, while the third was found a few feet away, indicating a possible attempt to flee.
Police indicated that the victims appeared to frequent the area regularly, based on items found at the site. Bullet casings will be cross-checked to determine whether a single weapon or multiple firearms were used. The bodies were transported to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for postmortem examinations.
The deceased were identified as 20-year-old Alex Riyasat alias Aini from Sheikhupura; 28-year-old Muhammad Jeel alias Sameera from Khairpur; and an individual known as Asma, whose full identity remains unverified, The Express Tribune reported.
The Gender Interactive Alliance (GIA) condemned the killings, stating that the victims lived in areas around Bilawal Goth and Safora Town and earned their livelihoods through begging.
"This is not just about the murder of a few individuals, it is an attempt to intimidate and silence the entire community," the organization said, calling for a transparent investigation, swift arrests, and the establishment of a special protection unit for the transgender community.
As reported by the Express Tribune, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directed the Inspector General of Police to immediately apprehend the perpetrators. "The killers of transgenders should be arrested at all costs," he said, referring to the victims as "an oppressed section of society" and asserting that the state would not tolerate the killing of any innocent citizen.