Dad Killed 19-year-old Daughter Because He Was ‘Upset’ that She’s Transgender in Pakistan

A father has been arrested in connection to the murder of his 19-year-old transgender daughter. The father, Aurangzeb Akbar, went to a police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, this past Saturday. His daughter, Maya, was staying with friends out of fear of violence, and they petitioned police for assurance that he wouldn’t harm her if she returned home.

Akbar told police that he would not harm Maya and even provided the authorities written assurance that he wouldn’t hurt her, according to local police. They noted that he was “upset” that his daughter was transgender. Several hours later, Maya was found shot to death near a river in her hometown of Nowshera. She was killed in a firing incident only hours after leaving the police station. Maya’s body was found near a river in Nowshera’s Cantonment area. After initial investigation into the incident, local police now believe that her father, who was upset at her for choosing to live as a transgender, was behind the crime. On Sunday, police announced that Akbar had been arrested. They suspect that others may have been involved in the killing. Transgender activists are planning a protest in Peshawar.