20 June 2004	Sunday	01 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

KARACHI, June 19: A mother injured herself and set her house on fire, killing her two children, in Federal B Area on Saturday. She was apparently infuriated over the financial difficulties her family was facing.

According to police investigations, Safeen, 28, had married Najam Shehzad some two years ago in court. They started living together and were soon bestowed with twin boys six months ago, when they moved to a house in Block No 16, Federal B Area.

Safeen became pregnant again some three months ago and started arguing with her husband over financial matters because they were unable to pay the rent of their house for the past two months. Najam, a labourer at the port, was on duty on Saturday when Safeen in a fit of depression stabbed herself in the abdomen and set her house on fire.

Loud screams from Safeen and her boys, and also the fire, attracted the neighbours who reached their house to rescue them. A fire brigade and several Edhi ambulances also reached the place.

The three injured were sent to a hospital where one of the two infants, identified as Zaryab, was pronounced dead on arrival. His infant brother Faizab was provided treatment but he too succumbed to his burns a little later.

Safeen was operated upon but the doctors were not very hopeful of her recovery as she had suffered more than 70 per cent burns.

The police said Safeen had given an application to her union council's Nazim, seeking his help in getting a divorce from her husband because she was fed up with financial problems. The police have recorded Safeen's statement.

KILLED: A woman shot dead a man, who had scaled the wall of her house in Korangi.

Police said Khairunnisa, 35, a resident of Sector 50-C, saw a cobbler scaling a wall to enter her house. She warned him not to do so but he nevertheless entered the house.

The woman, sensing danger, fetched a pistol and fired at the cobbler, killing him on the spot.

Police shifted the cobbler's body to a hospital where he was identified as Noor Mohammad.

Hamid Rahim, a fisherman, was shot dead in Kharadar by some unidentified gunmen late on Friday. His body was shifted to the Civil Hospital Karachi for autopsy.