Pir prognosis: ‘Heartless’ answers to suspicious questions
A man cut out his wife’s heart and killed her after she accused him of cheating on her and refused to agree to him taking another wife on Monday.
According to police officials, Chiniot resident Zaffar cut out his wife Zahra’s, 35, heart after consulting a pir in Mohallah Noorwala. Zafar married Zahra six years ago and the couple had five children. According to neighbours, Zafar frequently beat his wife. “He was an addict and we have seen him publicly beat his wife with sticks in the street because she rebuked him for spending money on other women,” said neighbour Shazia Bibi. “Zahra’s major complaint was that her 5 children were going hungry while her husband was spending the little money he earned on buying gifts for other women,” she said.
“When he wanted to marry for a second time, she refused to give her consent and threatened to take the children and leave,” she added.
Muhammad Aslam told reporters that Zahra and her husband often fought over his multiple affairs. “He was a drug addict and a philanderer and he abused her in front of everyone,” he added. “He wanted to marry a woman in the village and she refused him. When she kept refusing him he went to a pir to ask for help,” he added.
Locals said that Pir Bashir was famous for handing out taweez that solved such hurdles and fulfilled wishes. “Zafar said that the pir told him that he needed to get some ‘body part’ of his wife. Zafar decided to cut out her heart!” Aslam said. Pir Bashir’s assistant Khadim said that Zafar brought a bag containing his wife’s heart to ‘make his wife more compliant’. “When we saw the heart we were terrified. Generally, when the pir asks for a token it is something like hand nails or a lock of hair,” he added.
Zafar told the pir that he had ‘acted upon his suggestion’ and cut his wife Zahra’s throat and brought her heart. Following the incident Pir Bashir and Zafar have fled the district. “This is not Bashir’s fault. He has helped hundreds of people but Zafar mistook his meaning. He is a drug addict,” Khadim added.
Chiniot Station House Officer (SHO) Tahir Ahamd said that police officials had taken Zahra’s body into custody. “We have sent the body for an autopsy,” he added. Zahra’s brother Muhammad Yaqoob has registered a case against accused Zafar under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
The SHO said “We have received a complaint from the deceased brother and have registered the case. There has been no real mention of a pir and we are still investigating these charges,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 4th, 2011.
COMMENTS (10)
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@Ram Bharose Singh
Islam has given man the consent to marry 4 times indeed. but is the husband is already married he is religiously obligated to gain the consent of his current wife, and only then proceed. in this case the wife was non-consensual and therefore, religiously Zaffar was not allowed a second marriage
According to Islam, a man should be able to marry 4 times. Period. Why was the wife not ready to give consent? Islam expressly allows a Man to have 4 wives. I think the wife is at fault though I do believe that the man's actions went a bit too far.
OMG! I can't believe that this is happening in 2011!
The frequency of such news has increased to such an extent,that sadly I must admit that seem to be like some sort of a norm in this godforsaken nation of mine!!
5 kids in 6 years!!!!!!!!!!!
Wonders what the psychological effect on the children would be? Would they be sane for the rest of their lives? May the dead 'heartless' woman rest in peace for eternity!
I think a large part of Pakistan is still living in the 15th century judging by the frequency of such news.
That is tooo bad for those five little babies :-S..
They wife slayer should be hanged publicly along with the Pir
Credit goes to illiteracy.