A woman was severely burnt in an acid attack by her husband in Khanpur on Saturday.
The woman’s father, *Ghulam Yaseen, a resident of Mohalla Azeem Shah, told The Express Tribune that his daughter, *Syeda Bibi, 22, had married *Muhammad Shahzad, a resident of Makhan Bela, a year and a half ago.
He said the couple had been quarrelling for the past six months. Last week, he said, Syeda left home for her parents’ house after a fight with Shahzad.
“Shahzad did not take this well… On Saturday night, he broke into our house, threw acid on Syeda and fled,” he said.
“She was badly burnt…we took her to Shaikh Zayed Hospital,” he added.
Dr Naeem Mirza at the hospital’s emergency ward told The Express Tribune that Syeda had sustained 45 per cent burns to her face and upper body and that her condition was critical.
Khanpur City police Investigation Officer Mazhar Hussain, said Shahzad had been arrested on Sunday on the complaint of the victim’s father. He said a case had been registered under Section 336B(1) of the Penal Code of Pakistan (Control and Acid Crime Prevention Bill ) which sets out punishment for hurting someone using dangerous substances.
Hussain said Shahzad had confessed to throwing acid on his wife.
He said, Shahzad told police that he had gone to his in-laws on Saturday to take his wife home. When she refused, he said, he felt disgraced and attacked her.
*Tasleem Bibi, the victim’s mother, said Shahzad had beaten up Syeda several times.
Muhammad Ajmal, a neighbour, who helped take Syeda to Shaikh Zayed hospital in Rahim Yar Khan, said that Shahzad was a drug addict and a habitual gambler.
*names have been changed to protect identities
Published in The Express Tribune, July 15th, 2013.