Woman attempts self-immolation

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

By Ikram Junaidi

ISLAMABAD: A 34-year-old woman allegedly attempted self-immolation on Friday and she was shifted to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in critical condition. According to police, Naheed, when she only 14 years old, was married to an already married 42-year old man Miskeen in 1991. The couple have five sons and the eldest child is now 18-year-old. The police said Miskeen, who is now 60 years old, was not doing any work and the family was facing financial problems, due to which the couple was used to fight. The family owned a house adjacent to their home in Mera Jafar, which they had rented out at Rs 2500 per month. On Thursday night Naheed received the rent of the house from the tenant, but Miskeen demanded that money to make a payment for land leveling. Naheed refused to give the money, as she had to run the house for whole month from that money, but Miskeen after heated arguments snatched the money and went out of the house. On this Naheed allegedly set herself on fire by sprinkling kerosene oil on her body. The area residents shifted her to PIMS Burn Centre in critical condition and also informed Golra Police about the incident. Duty officer ASI Khalid Javed reached PIMS and recorded statement of Naheed who stated that she had burned herself as she did not want to live any more. She gave this statement in presence of her father Kahista Khan, Dr Zahid of Burn Centre, a staff nurse and a neighbour Malik Saghir, said police. Police have registered First Information Report (FIR) vide No 221 under section 325 of PPC against Naheed for trying to kill her.

Fourth attempt: According to sources, Naheed was a Pakhtun and belonged to Charsadda. She had already attempted suicide thrice by drinking kerosene oil, but every time her sons saved her life by taking her to hospital and getting her stomach washed.

85 percent burn injuries: Dr Zahid of Burn Centre told Daily Times that Naheed, admitted on bed No 12 of the Centre, had received 85 percent burn injuries and she had less than 10 percent chances of survival, but doctors were trying their best to save her life.

Underage marriages: Women rights activist Shahnaz Bukhari told Daily Times that underage marriages were crime. She said such marriages created complications because when husband become old he restricts movement of her wife fearing that she might run away.