Elderly transgender person shot dead in Karachi's Korangi area

• An elderly transgender person was shot dead in Karachi's Korangi area, police say.
• The 60-year-old was killed after unidentified assailants broke into their home and opened fire.
• Mumtaz's body was shifted to JPMC and an investigation into the murder is underway.

KARACHI: An elderly transgender person has been shot dead here in the port city's Korangi neighbourhood, police confirmed on Monday.

Karachi police said Mumtaz — the 60-year-old transgender individual's chosen name — was killed at their residence in Korangi's Bilal Colony when unidentified assailants broke into their home and opened fire.

Mumtaz's body was shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), according to police, who said an investigation into the murder is underway.

The senior superintendent of police (SSP) for Korangi, Captain (r) Faisal Abdullah Chachar, claimed that the incident took place over personal enmity.

The deceased transgender individual was allegedly threatened by a young man, Chachar said, adding that the suspect also took money from Mumtaz.

The police officer added that the young man in question — whose name he refused to disclose until an arrest was made — has a criminal record and was possibly involved in the murder. A search for the suspect has been launched, he said.

The late transgender person reportedly had a son and grandchildren as well.

A statement from the Karachi Police's media cell stated that two unidentified assailants barged into the transgender person's house and asked for Mumtaz, who identified themself.

Upon learning who Mumtaz was, the armed men shot them in the head and escaped, the statement read, adding that an inquiry was underway.

—Additional reporting by Afzal Nadeem Dogar in Karachi