Pakistan’s transgender community faces an onslaught of violence, as evidenced by the shocking home shooting of leading advocate Bindiya Rana. A fresh report paints a grim picture of unchecked aggression, with this January 19 Karachi episode serving as a wake-up call.
At her home, Rana remotely unlocked the door while enjoying tea alongside Zehrish Khan Zadi from Gender Alliance Interactive. Seconds later, three bullets pierced the air; attackers fled, leaving both unharmed. Khan Zadi’s Guardian account chills: ‘Door opens – bang, bang, bang. They bolted; Rana lived.’
Police were notified promptly against unnamed assailants. Khan Zadi, no stranger to trans perils, voiced disbelief at the invasion of their sanctuary. ‘Defenders of the vulnerable now dodge bullets,’ she said poignantly.
Echoing cases include Nadira’s stabbing at Sea View beach for rejecting advances – she saved her begging money amid her HIV status but took a blade to the belly. Two days on, three trans women fell to close-range shots in Karachi suburbs.
From 2022-2025, Sindh tallies 55 trans murders per Gender Alliance records, 17 Karachiside. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, elders banish trans women over ‘youth corruption’ claims; Swabi’s dance bust nabbed 200, four trans among them.
This surge demands policy overhaul, community support, and accountability to halt the bloodshed targeting Pakistan’s bravest voices for equality.