May 14, 2007	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 26, 1428

LAYYAH, May 13: In a brazen-faced demonstration of how frail blood relations become in the world of stonehearted chauvinists, two brothers have chopped off an ear and nose of their sister-in-law for her refusal to marry her daughter to the son of one of them.

The incident took place the other day at Laskaniwala village near Karor Lal Esan — the place which the victim and her family had left for a few days for fear of the perpetrator’s wrath. The culprit, they allege, is supported by a landlord who enjoys influence in the area.

Reports said Mst Allah Wasae’s ear and nose were chopped off when she refused to marry her daughter with his brother’s son in Watta Satta (exchange marriage).

On the assurance of support by former tehsil nazim Fayyaz Husain Gillani, the victim and her husband Mulazim Husain have returned to hometown and they are now residing with Allah Wasae’s brother at Chattar Sharif near Fatehpur.

Sobbing out her ordeal, Allah Wasae told Dawn they were very poor people and had been facing constant threats by her brothers-in-law who had mutilated her ear and nose.

She said her son Fayyaz’s Nikkah was solemnised with Ghulam Abbas’ daughter and daughter’s Nikkah was performed with his (the culprit’s) son. “My daughter refused to marry Ghulam Abbas’ son and threatened to commit suicide if the family forced her to do so.”

Mulazim said his brothers Ghulam Abbas and Ghulam Qasim were gunmen of landlord Abdul Wahid Khan whom they involved in the issue and pressured me to marry my daughter with Abbas’ son Mohsin.

“On refusal, Abbas, Qasim and Sajjad, along with six other people, stormed into our house and asked us to hand them over our daughter but luckily she was not at home. This infuriated Abbas who started thrashing us (Mulazim and his wife) so much so that I fell unconscious.”

The victim said her brothers-in-law then cut her nose and ear with knife and left her half-dead.

She said the Karor police station officials on the pressure of public safety commission and former tehsil nazim Fayyaz Husain registered an FIR against Qasim, Abbas, Sajjad and six others.

When contacted, the Karor police station SHO said they would leave no stone unturned in arresting the culprits and dispensing justice to the victims.