Bugti woman’s nose cut off because of sister’s job

SUKKUR: A young woman’s nose was chopped off because she was mistaken for her sister, who had been repeatedly warned by some relatives to quit her job.

Three armed men forced their way into the house of Suhail Bugti near Thull on Wednesday afternoon. Only Bugti’s young wife Samina was home. Two men caught hold of her while the third cut her nose off. Neighbours heard her screams and rushed to her aid. They managed to catch one of the suspects but the others escaped. The accused, who was identified as Imdad Bugti, was handed over to the Thull police.

The injured woman told reporters that the men who broke into her house asked her whether she was Rabia. Rabia is Samina’s younger sister, who is a doctor in Thull town. “I was so scared and confused I couldn’t say anything and they just attacked me,” she said.

Samina was taken to a private clinic in Jacobabad. Police said they are investigating.

The arrested suspect, who is also a Bugti, was sent by some other relatives, who had allegedly been threatening Rabia to quit her job. “You are a Bugti woman and you cannot go out of the house everyday. You are damaging our name, our honour,” they had told the young woman, who refused to comply with their demands.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2011.