Qureshi Chowk police in Muzaffargarh on Sunday arrested a man three days after he cut a woman’s nose and lips over a suspicion that she had helped his niece elope. The woman who had undergone three surgeries is still in a critical condition.
Police said the man has confessed to the crime. They said they had recovered the woman’s nose and lips from his house.
Three men, accused of helping him, have also been arrested.
Police said 22-year-old Sakina*, a resident of Ghairiwala, had had an affair with Muhammad Asghar*, 23.
They said they had both eloped after their families had objected to the relationship.
Last week, police said, some of Sakina’s relatives contacted her and persuaded her to return, assuring her that they would allow her to marry Asghar.
Police said Sakina’s uncle, Muhammad Ramazan*, had suspected that Nazeeran Bibi*, a resident of the same village and a mother of six, had helped his niece elope. They said he had threatened to kill her if she met his niece again.
A few days ago, police said, she visited Ramazan’s house to explain that she had had nothing to do with his niece and to ask him to stop his men from threatening her and her family.
Instead, they said, Ramazan called his men, identified as Kareem Baksh, Muhammad Ajmal and Ghulam Sarwar in the FIR, and beat her up. He also cut her nose and lips and abandoned her on a street.
She was taken to the district headquarters hospital by a passer-by, who had found her lying on the road. She was later sent to Nishtar Hospital in Multan.
Doctors treating her at Nishtar Hospital said that she needed another surgery.
On Sunday, doctors told The Express Tribune that Nazeeran Bibi had undergone three surgeries.
They said she was not out of danger yet.
Qureshi Chowk Station House Officer Aslam Malghani told The Express Tribune that an FIR was registered on the complaint of the victim under Sections 365, 324, 334/34 (kidnap, attempted murder, causing hurt) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
He said Ramazan was arrested on Sunday in a raid at his house. He said a neighbour had seen him entering the house and informed the police.
The Station House Officer said Ramazan had confessed to the crime and told police that he had planned to flee the Tribal Area.
*ALL NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO PROTECT IDENTITIES
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2014.