A forum has been launched in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to provide legal facilities to transgender persons, as experts say the community cannot afford to have lawyers when they contest a case.

“FIRs on the complaint of transgender persons are registered, but there could not be a follow up as they cannot afford a lawyer,” Da Hawwa Lur Chief Executive Officer Khurshid Bano told Aaj News.

In the first phase, the Lawyers for Rights Network KP would provide free legal facilities to the community members in four districts: Nowshera, Peshawar, Charsadda, and Mardan.

According to police, at least three transgender persons were killed in Peshawar this year. Many of them have been killed for honour and extortion, many community member said and added that some has left the district or the country.

The forum was launched in Peshawar on Friday. As many as 30 lawyers were selected for the network.

One of the community members told Aaj News that the forum would help in addressing their grievances.

With the forum, the organisers have aimed to give young female lawyers an opportunity come in front and play their role in assisting the community.