August 09, 2008	Saturday	Sha’aban 6, 1429

KARACHI, Aug 8: Thirty-year-old Farzana, who on Thursday allegedly tried to commit suicide after strangling her 13-month-old daughter, Minahil, is under treatment at the poison control ward of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.

The woman was brought to the JPMC in highly precarious condition from a shelter home, where she had taken refuge after having become estranged from her husband. Her treatment will continue for seven days.

Farzana had left her home and taken refuge at the shelter centre reportedly due to domestic disputes.

However, she went back to her husband, Jawad Baloch, after reconciliation but found herself coming back to the shelter home two days ago.

On Thursday afternoon, she allegedly strangled her child and later took poison. Farzana’s husband, Jawad, who is a real estate broker and a resident of Tariq Road, has lodged an FIR against the shelter home and its in-charge, accusing the administration of killing his infant child and poisoning Farzana.

The on-duty official at the JPMC, Dr Aisha, told this reporter that she did not “know any details about the patient as I was not here when she was admitted to the hospital. However the file clearly shows that she was in a state of alternate consciousness when admitted to the facility”.

Since the woman has been charged with murder, she was under police surveillance.

Dr Aisha also maintained that Farzana would have to undergo treatment for seven days. She said that after five days of treatment her condition would become clear.

Before that, she asserted, nothing could be said about the patient for sure.

“The medicine given for the treatment of poison also causes hallucinations and drowsiness,” she said.

According to the Medico-Legal Officer, Dr Pradeep, who was on duty at the time of Farzana’s admission to the hospital, the woman was brought to the hospital in highly precarious condition as she has had consumed insecticide.

“She was submitted to the relevant ward of the hospital where doctors await report from the chemical examiner for further details,” he said.

“The autopsy report of the child shows clear marks on her throat which indicates that she was strangled to death,” said Civil Hospital MLO

Dr Nisar Shah.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the shelter home where the incident took place said that Farzana along with her infant daughter arrived at the shelter home for the second time in the evening of Aug 6.

The following morning, it said, the woman’s mother and her husband came to take both the mother and daughter back home.

According to the statement, Farzana informed the shelter’s manager that she had strangled her child. It said that the infant was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

The statement said that Farzana was a victim of domestic violence and was therefore mentally disturbed.