LAKKI MARWAT: Transgender persons demonstrated in Bannu City on Tuesday against the alleged torture, assault and head-shaving of their leader (guru) by suspected gangsters.

They staged a sit-in outside the office of the regional police officer and closed the Miramshah Road to traffic. The protesters threatened to commit self-immolation if action was not taken against the accused.

The protest ended when police officials assured them of taking stern action against the accused.

Earlier, addressing a press conference, Rizwan, the guru, said the lives of their community members were in danger as they had come under attack several times.

“We are being forced to pay extortion and quench the sexual thirst of criminals,” he said. The other transgender individuals said two suspects tortured Rizwan and shaved his head after abusing him.

They said the police had arrested one of the suspects and demanded the arrest of the other without delay.

Injured

Three people were injured when a pickup truck transporting vegetables to Lakki Marwat met an accident on the Lakki-Tajazai Road on Tuesday.

A rescue official said the accident occurred when one of the tyres of the vehicle got detached from it.

He said people, especially shopkeepers who were present there, shifted the injured to the District Headquarters Hospital.

Meanwhile, the police arrested a drug trafficker in injured condition after an exchange of fire in the Ghaznikhel area of Lakki on Tuesday.

An official said cops came under attack when they approached the hideout of the suspect, identified as Atif.

He said the police returned fire and later arrested the outlaw in injured condition.

The official said cops seized an assault rifle with bullets, over four kilogrammes of hashish and 1.6kg of ice from the arrested man.

The official said the police also arrested five drug traffickers in separate actions and recovered narcotics from them in Tajori, Shahbazkhel and Dadiwala areas. He said the law enforcers seized 2.3kg of hashish and 365 grams of ice from them.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2024