Domestic violence: Woman beaten for giving birth to a girl

Files complaint against in-laws, later forgives them in a written statement

ABBOTABAD: A woman was hospitalized after being subjected to violence by her in-laws for giving birth to a second girl, police and family sources said on Sunday.

Maliha Bibi, a resident of Mohalla Kunj Kehal, lodged a complaint with the Cantonment police that she was beaten by her mother-in-law Zakia Bibi and father-in-law Muhammad Nazeer, after they blamed her for failing to bear a son. She was taken to Women and Children Hospital Abbottabad while unconscious and she lodged the complaint when she regaining consciousness after several hours, said a police official.

The police quoted Bibi saying that she tried to reason with her in-laws that it is not up to her to bear a son or a daughter, rather it is up to God. However, she said her in-laws got furious and beating her up black and blue.

Doctors at the hospital said she lost consciousness after being hit on the head by a blunt object.

When the police questioned the in-laws, they admitted to having a brawl with Bibi but denied that she was beaten severely.

However, a police official later informed that Bibi retracted her complaint against her in-laws after reaching a compromise. She forgave her in-laws in a written statement to the police, he said.

When contacted, Bibi refused to speak to the media.

Bibi’s husband, Kamran, is an employee of a private company. The couple got married three years back.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2012.