Man sets wife on fire in Sialkot

Doctor says the victim suffered 70% burns and has low chances of survival

LAHORE: A man set his wife on fire at their house in Sialkot on Sunday.

The victim M* had sustained severe burns and is being treated at the Mayo Hospital, Lahore.

Police said the victim was in love with a man named Bilal and they tied the knot two months ago. Bilal was already married to his cousin and has two children from his first wife. Police have arrested the culprit.



The woman’s father named Muhammad Asif said that Bilal had arranged the marriage and had rented a separate house for her daughter to keep the marriage secret. After a few days, when Bilal’s family came to know about his second marriage, they started pressurising him to divorce her, he said.



Asif claimed that Bilal wanted to give the whole incident a colour of an accident that’s why he tried to burn her. “Bilal told me she caught fire while cooking. Who cooks food at 1am? He told me my daughter was burnt when her duppatta caught fire. Nobody can suffer 70% burns after catching a fire through a duppatta.”

Dr Mustehsan Bashir, who is head of the department of plastic surgery at the Mayo Hospital, said that the woman suffered 70% burns and she has less survival chances. “We are trying our best to save her life.”

Investigation Officer ASI Sarwar while talking to The Express Tribune said that police have registered an FIR 334/17 against Bilal and his sister Shamsa at Rangpura police station under section 324 (attempt to murder) and 34 (common intention). “The incident occurred on October 6 and we are investigating the matter. It is too early to comment.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2017.