Gender-based violence: Family of woman burnt to death demands justice

PESHAWAR:

Around 40 days ago in the neighbourhood of Phandu, Fazli Ahmad was allegedly beating up his wife Afsana Bibi – a well-known practice of his, spanning the six years of their marriage. In front of their three daughters, whom he later abandoned, Ahmad locked Afsana Bibi up in a room and burnt her alive. He did not let anyone enter the room until her whimpering was reduced to complete silence.

This was stated by Afsana’s family who was protesting the brutal murder outside Peshawar Press Club on Monday. Her mother Rukhsana Bibi urged the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government and Chief Justice of Pakistan to bring the murderer to justice. “Police arrested Fazli Ahmad but he was later was released by the court,” said Rukhsana. “We are poor people who cannot afford a lawyer to contest our case and get justice for the three little girls left behind.”

The deceased’s brother, Islam Gul, said Fazli is an influential man and his family has the money to evade the grasp of law-enforcement. Gul said the alleged murderer’s family is persuading local elders to make a deal with the bereaved family which, the brother said, would never happen.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 28^th, 2015.