Shakespearean tragedy: Lovers end life after families reject proposal

‘They had told their families they’d die rather than break up’.

FAISALABAD:

A boy and a girl swallowed poison on Saturday after their families refused them permission to marry.

Samundri Saddar police told media persons that 22-year-old Muhammad Iqbal*, a resident of Chak 437-GB, Noorpur, and 18-year-old Aneela Sarwar, a resident of Chak 177-GB, Mari Tari, had wanted to marry but their families refused to grant them permission and warned them of dire consequences if they married against their approval.

Police said dejected over their families’ attitude towards their relationship, Sarwar and Iqbal swallowed poison. Sarwar died on the spot and Iqbal passed away later at a hospital.

Aslam Hussain, a close relative of Iqbal, told media people that Iqbal and Sarwar had wanted to get married. “They told their families that they would rather die than break up.”

He said Sarwar and Iqbal had tried to convince their parents to let them marry but their parents refused to consider. They scolded them and said they would have to suffer dire consequences if they tried to elope.

Hussain said Sarwar and Iqbal were deeply disappointed. They arranged to meet near Chak 177-GB at the deserted dera of Mian Saeed on Saturday, he said.

“Iqbal and Sarwar swallowed poison there and fainted... some farmers passing by saw them lying on the ground and informed their relatives.”

He said several people gathered at the scene. They checked to see if they were alive. Sarwar had passed away. Iqbal was still alive. “He was taken to a hospital where doctors referred him to Allied Hospital, Faisalabad.”

Doctors treating Iqbal at the Allied Hospital said they had done their best to save him but it was too late.

Khadim said Sarwar’s mother had known about their relationship. “When she asked her mother to push for marriage, she gave her a bottle of poison and told her to go kill herself as that was better than bringing shame to her family,” Hussain said. “She then called Iqbal and they decided to end their lives.”

Samundri Saddar station house officer said they had taken the bodies into custody and sent them to a mortuary for post-mortem examination.

“We have not received a complaint... no case has been registered so far. We are waiting for the medico legal report after which further action could be taken.”

*Names have been changed to protect identities

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2014.