The violence is not limited to killings. Alina, an Afghan transgender person, recalled,“I was sleeping when I woke up to find my WhatsApp inbox flooded with my naked video, which had been forcibly recorded.” She said,“I was abducted two years ago, and a group forced me to undress and recorded a naked video of me, raped me one after another, and threatened to release the video if I reported them.

Two years later, the same group released multiple explicit videos of transgenders, including mine.” She added that the trauma of seeing her video circulated in WhatsApp groups forced her to switch off her phone for weeks.

But long before society turns violent, rejection begins at home. Transgender persons are forsaken the moment they express their identity. The very homes where they were once loved turn hostile, and a diverse identity shaped by God and nature is punished as if it were a crime. Ridiculed, rejected, and burdened with slurs they barely understand, they are disowned not only in life but even in death, as families often refuse to claim their bodies.

In Pakistan, and especially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stigma and rigid norms deepen this rejection. Domestic violence, emotional abuse, and forced isolation become routine, often at the hands of blood relatives. Gender diversity is seen not as natural, but as a violation of culture, fueling shame, exclusion, and abandonment. They are pushed to the margins. Their pain is both personal and a reflection of a society that values tradition over compassion, honour over humanity.

The consequences of such marginalisation are severe. In addition to daily violence, the community is grappling with a growing mental health crisis. Recently, a transgender in Swat attempted suicide, while another in Swabi, named Baby, tragically died by suicide in her room. A friend of Baby said,“We live in constant fear and every day is a struggle for survival.”

According to Manzil Foundation, a transgender-led human rights organisation, the crisis shows no signs of slowing. Alone in 2025, ten transgender persons have been killed and more than 40 attacks reported. Yet most cases go unreported due to fear, stigma, or lack of support.

Exclusion extends beyond homes, schools, and state institutions, it follows the transgender even when dead. KP transgender community president Arzoo Khan broke into tears recalling,“Just recently, when we approached an Imam Masjid in Peshawar, he refused to lead the funeral prayers (janaza) for our sister Titli.” Her grief echoed in her words,“We are left only to count the dead of our community. From 2016 to 2025, 161 transgender persons have been killed in KP. Not a single case has delivered justice to set an example.”

Furthermore, she added that a crackdown has now been initiated by local extremist violent groups in Peshawar, Swabi and Mardan, where protests are being staged by locals to expel (Zilla Badar) the transgender community.“What law gives them this right against an already vulnerable and marginalised community?” she asked.

Muhammad Rizwan, provincial coordinator at the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) KP, said transgender community in KP faces graver challenges than elsewhere due to rigid cultural norms. He admitted the situation remains dire, with policy and legislative measures stuck in the pipeline.

He noted that the KP government and NCHR had drafted the“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Transgender and Intersex Persons (Welfare, Empowerment and Protection of Rights) Act, 2022,” but it remains stalled owing to the Council of Islamic Ideology's observations. He added that lack of awareness and sensitization in both police and the community further complicates matters.

However, he stressed NCHR's commitment to safeguarding rights, pointing out that, in collaboration with the KP Social Welfare Department and Blue Veins, guidelines have been developed to address discriminatory behavior in government departments.

Qamar Naseem, Program Manager of Blue Veins, said recurring murders and violence against transgender persons in KP expose systematic gaps in safeguarding.

Naseem added that Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018, was a milestone, however, its implementation remains weak, with government departments failing to comply with its provisions.

He emphasized the need for police training and gender sensitive SOPs, and improved coordination channels with community representatives to ensure timely intervention and meaningful protection.

Mahi Gul, a transgender rights activist, said members of the community in KP live each day under the shadow of violence, rejection and invisibility. Schools, jobs, and hospitals shut their doors on us, forcing many into unsafe means of survival. Yet, within our community, we find strength.

Our existence is resistance, and our struggle is for dignity, safety, and equal rights,” she said. She added that a writ petition has been filed against the recent crackdown and attempts to expel transgender persons from Swabi.

During the first hearing, the court sought a response from the provincial police chief and observed that residing in any city or district with a valid national identity card is not a crime, nor can any authority expel citizens from their home districts.“Equality, dignity, and rights belong to everyone,” she concluded.