Domestic abuse: Husband sets wife ablaze for property

Doctors say Afshan is in critical condition, her husband has escaped.

MULTAN: A woman was set on fire by her husband and brother-in-law for refusing to sign over her property on Friday.

42-year-old Afshan was admitted to the burn unit of Nishtar Hospital where doctors declared her to be in a critical condition. “We are trying our best but we aren’t very hopeful. Afshan has sustained third degree burns to over 70 per cent of body,” said Nishtar hospital medical superintendent (MS) Dr Iftikhar. According to Afshan’s brothers, Mazdoor and Munawwar Hussain, she was being abused by her husband, Abdul Majeed, for over two months. “Six days ago she told us that she had been severely beaten with a lead pipe and that she feared for her life. We both reached her house and fought with Majeed,” Mazdoor said.

Afshan’s neighbour Momina said that her husband had been pressuring her over property for over six months. Majeed wanted Afshan to demand her property share from her brothers and when she was granted her share six months ago, he wanted her to sell the land. “She refused to hand over any of her property or to sell it. That was when the abuse began,” Momina said.

Majeed’s mother brought Afshan to the hospital and admitted that her son had wanted the property for eight years. “I know he always wanted her land and I warned her that he would not leave her alone till he signed it away,” said Nayyara Bibi, adding that she had heard of the burning incident through Afshan’s neighbours and immediately came from her house located in a nearby village.

Momina told the police that Majeed beat up Afshan for months and tried to kill her twice.

“He and his brother poisoned her a month ago but she managed to survive because her mother-in-law rushed her to the hospital and before that her husband gagged her and cut her with a knife but her brothers rescued her,” she said.

Hospital authorities said that the police was not cooperating in their registration of the case. “I personally called the police and reported the case when the girl was brought in but so far they haven’t even asked us to prepare a medical certificate,” Dr Iftikhar said. Mumtazabad police refused to file a case initially despite 0repeated appeals by Muzdoor and Munawwar Hussain and instead charged the brothers for attacking Majeed after he beat their sister.

However, a case was registered after DSP Jaffar took over the case. A case, FIR 1180, was registered against Majeed and his brother on the application of Afshan’s parents.

“She has already survived two attempts on her life. I pray to God that she can survive this one too,” her brother Munawwar said. Majeed and his brother have escaped and police are currently searching for their whereabouts.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2010.