Seven-year-old girl pricked with needles by stepmother

Doctor doubtful about her survival

ABBOTTABAD: A girl was hospitalised in critical condition after being brutally tortured by her stepmother, the police and doctors told The Express Tribune on Saturday. According to doctors at the surgical ward of Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH), seven-year-old Quratul Ain, a resident of Khwajgan village in Mansehra, was brought to ATH on September 12. Since the girl's body had severe torture marks, she was admitted to the hospital.

During the initial investigation the girl's grandfather Muhammad Umar told the police that her mother died a few years back, after which her father Muhammad Asghar solemnised second marriage. He married Fatima, a resident of Hatiyan village in Attock district.

As Asghar was working for MES Attock, he called his daughter to live with him in Hatiyan village where, according to her grandfather, Fatima used to treat her violently. Umar said Fatima used to beat Quratul Ain over petty issues.

However, according to the complainant and Abbottabad police, on September 10, Fatima not only beat Quratul Ain over unknown reasons, but also pricket her with hot needles. The complainant said the needles penetrated her body and were left in, around the spinal cord.

Moreover, Fatima also pulled Quratul Ain’s hair out with a pair of pliers.

When Quratul Ain’s condition worsened her father took her to Khwajgan from where her grandfather took her to ATH. She was in a semi-conscious state then. Her father went away after leaving her with her grandfather, and could not be contacted.

Ruthlessness

A trainee medical officer at the surgical ward of ATH, Dr Sarfaraz, the girl was brought to the hospital a day before Eidul Azha, which was a holiday. However, he added, she was provided with initial treatment and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit where her condition improved a bit.

He said she was shifted to the general ward, but her body was still carrying over 20 needles which were continuously moving and had damaged vital organs. The doctor maintained the needles could not be taken out at that stage.

He added carrying out her surgery would be equally risky as the needles had left septic wounds, the infection of which had spread to most parts of her body. To a question Sarfaraz said Quratul Ain was once again put on ventilator when her condition deteriorated on Saturday. When asked, the doctor seemed doubtful about the girl being able to survive.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 18^th, 2016.