KARACHI: Three trans persons were found shot dead on the outskirts of the metropolis within the remit of the Memon Goth police station on Sunday, police said.

They said that at around 1pm the police were informed about three bodies lying in the bushes near Nagori Society off Superhighway, now called M-9 motorway).

A police team arrived at the scene, found the three bodies and shifted them to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for a post-mortem examination.

The police and hospital officials said it appeared the bodies had lain there for 12 hours, suggesting they were shot around midnight on Saturday.

Investigations underway to identify killers, their motive; Murad says state will not tolerate killing of vulnerable individuals

They said that one of them was shot in the head, while other two sustained bullet wounds in the chest. One victim also suffered a bullet wound to the hand, suggesting the individual might have put up resistance, they added.

A Memon Goth police officer said that no identity papers were found on their persons. However, two of them were later identified as Mohammed Jael, 28, and Alex Riasat Masih, 20.

‘Not an act of terrorism’

Malir SSP Dr Abdul Khaliq Pirzada, who visited the crime scene, told the media that he did not think the incident as an “act of terrorism”.

He said personal enmity or a dispute over an issue might be the possible motive behind the triple murders.

He said two spent bullet casings fired from 9mm pistols were recovered from the scene of crime and this suggested that the victims were killed at the same place.

The SSP said investigators were trying to obtain CCTV footage from the road leading to the scene.

He said the investigators came to know that the victims frequently visited the area.

‘Hate crime?’

Although the motive for the killing was yet to be established, trans rights activists suspect the brutal incident a hate crime.

“When hate speech and campaigns are carried out so openly, outcomes like this are inevitable,” activist and PPP councillor Shahzadi Rai said, according to an AFP report. “Even though the state and police are on our side, killings are still occurring, which indicates that deep-rooted hatred against trans people persists in our society.”

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah condemned the brutal incident and directed the inspector general of police to arrest the culprits immediately.

In a statement, he said the trans community is among the most marginalised groups of society and must be given dignity and respect. “The state will not tolerate the killing of any innocent or vulnerable citizen,” he emphasised.

Sindh Home Minister Zia Lanjar, however, ordered police authorities to find out the exact motive behind the incident and arrest the culprits.

He asked law enforcers to get technical help from intelligence agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2025