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Marvia Malik is the first transgender woman to host a television show in Pakistan. Photo/twitter
ISLAMABAD – Marvia Malik, the first transgender female anchor on Kohenoor News Network narrowly escaped an assassination attempt after 2 gunmen opened fire on her.
Kohenoor News Network is independently owned and operated in Pakistan. The transgender woman was shot as she was returning to her residence after a trip to the local pharmacy.
Marvia Malik has made history in the conservative Muslim-majority country as the first transgender person to come out publicly on a television channel in 2018.
He told police investigators he believed his LGBTQ rights activism and intersex were “main factors” behind the assassination attempt.
He cited several threatening calls before the assassination attempt on February 24, 2023.
Malik, who has moved from Lahore, fears for his safety based on previous threats.
He had returned for surgery just days before the assassination attempt took place.
LGBTQ and intersex rights in Pakistan are still severely restricted with homosexuality outlawed. Perpetrators are punishable by prison terms and conversion therapy is often the prescribed treatment.
However, the transgender community continues to face many challenges in Pakistan. They experience discrimination and violence, both from individuals and from the government.
