Man injured in acid attack in Multan

Victim was targeted for marrying a second time against the wishes of his first wife and her family

MULTAN:  

A man was severely injured in an acid attack for marrying a second time against the wishes of his first wife and her family in Kehror Pakka, a sub-district of Lodhran, on Sunday.

Police said that Iqbal Pasha, Abu Bakr alias Majad, Ubaidur Rehman, Usman and others intercepted the victim H* while he was in his car. They asked to step out of the vehicle at gunpoint. When he did, the accused threw acid on him and fled the scene.

H* was shifted to the District Headquarter Hospital in Kehror Pakka. He was then referred to the Nishtar Hospital burns unit in Multan. The victim sustained severe burns on his face, head and limbs.

Doctors at Nishtar Hospital said that the acid burnt more than half of the patient’s body and his condition is critical.

Initial investigations revealed that the victim was already married but had contracted a second marriage against the wishes of his first wife and her family.

Police said that his brother-in-laws had threatened H* that if he marries again, they would kill him and his second wife. H* was hiding in Kehror Pakka with his second wife K* who was with him when the incident occurred. However, she was unhurt during the attack.

Kehror Pakka police station SHO Sabir Qureshi said that an FIR will be registered after a complete medical report is issued while further investigations are underway. On the other hand, K8 has been given police protection.

In August, three people from one family suffered burn injuries in an acid attack incident in Thal Hamza near Khanpur.

Abdul Rasheed, a resident of Thal Hamza, and his family was asleep at night when Aziz Mai, Ghulam Shabbir, Khursheed and Ghulam Abbas allegedly barged into the house and hurled acid at them to take revenge over an old enmity.

Abdul Rasheed, his wife Lal Parveen and minor daughter Anum suffered critical burn injuries as a result. After the incident, the culprits fled the scene.

*Name withheld to protect identity