Transgender woman burned alive in Pakistan after resisting sexual assault

Pakistan's transgender community protest against hate crimes

A transgender woman was burned alive in Pakistan on Thursday by four men after she resisted their attempts to sexually assault her.

Graphic video footage was posted online by Trans Action Pakistan of the woman as she was being transported.

A Pakistani transgender activist poses for a photograph as they take part in a demonstration in Karachi on November 20, 2017. The event was held to mark World Transgender Day. / AFP PHOTO / ASIF HASSAN (Photo credit should read ASIF HASSAN/AFP/Getty Images)

A transgender activist in Pakistan (ASIF HASSAN/AFP/Getty)

Trans Action Pakistan have clarified that the person killed was a trans woman after local media misgendered her as a man.

Local media reports say that she was taken to a deserted place near a taxi station in the Sahiwal district of Pakistan by four cisgender men.

It was there that they attempted to sexually assault her, however when she resisted, they set her on fire.

Reports say that she had burns on up to 80% of her body and that she was rushed to hospital, however she died while being transported.

Trans Action Pakistan say that nobody has claimed her body and she has not been publicly named.

Transgender people in Pakistan can often experience violence and hate crimes as a result of their gender identity.

Protesters from Trans Action Pakistan recently staged a demonstration outside the Peshawar Press Club after the brutal killing of one of its members. Nasir Naso had been tortured before her death, and her body was later discovered in a sack.

Earlier this year, another trans woman was attacked by a group of armed men, who beat her up and proceeded to shoot her dead.

Advertisement Remove ads


Recent moves have been taken to improve the standing of transgender people legally in Pakistani society.

ASIF HASSAN/AFP/Getty

The country introduced legislation earlier this year protecting trans people from discrimination in employment, healthcare, housing and on public transport.

The country also issued their first passports with a separate gender X category last year, which allows trans citizens to self-identify under a third gender category.

Five trans women also recently ran for election in Pakistan, however local media reported that dozens of people in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region were barred from casting their votes as their identity cards didn’t match their gender identity.

Comments (0)

MyPinkNews members are invited to comment on articles to discuss the content we publish, or debate issues more generally. Please familiarise yourself with our community guidelines to ensure that our community remains a safe and inclusive space for all.

Loading Comments