The Lahore High Court (LHC) Complaints Cell on Wednesday took notice of a media report of a woman trying to set herself on fire outside the Bahawalpur DCO office to protest alleged lack of action against men she accused of abducting her and forcing her to marry a man.
The cell directed the Bahawalpur district and sessions judge to investigate and report within a week.
Razia Bibi of Nonari village in Ahmedpur East tehsil, and her relatives had reached the DCO’s office carrying a bottle of kerosene oil. She threatened to set herself on fire. However, some people present there prevented her from doing that and called police who listened to her claim that five people, including Saeed Ahmed, Sadiq and Khadim, had abducted her four years ago and forcibly married her to Fida Hussain. Police said Razia had not approached local police.
“An FIR has been registered against the persons nominated in her complaint and efforts are being made to arrest them,” the police said.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 5th, 2014.