Rape victim sets herself ablaze after accused freed on bail

E-Paper | March 01, 2026

MUZAFFARGARH: A first-year student was critically injured on Thursday when she attempted self-immolation in Bet Mir Hazar area, about 40km from here, in protest against a police report which helped her alleged rapist obtain bail.

According to sources, the 18-year-old girl was returning home from her college on Jan 5 when the accused, along with his four accomplices, allegedly raped her in a deserted area.

Police registered a case of attempted rape.

When a local court granted bail to the main accused on Thursday, the girl went to the Bet Mir Hazar police station and lodged a protest with investigation officer Zulfiqar Ahmad for favouring the accused in his report.

She later doused her clothes with petrol and set herself on fire outside the police station in the presence of her younger brother. Some passers-by and policemen took her to Jatoi Civil Hospital. She was later shifted to Nishtar Hospital in Multan because of her critical condition.

Nishtar Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Shaukat Malik said the girl had sustained 80 per cent burns.

A medical expert said patients with more than 50pc burns rarely survived.

District Police Officer Usman Akram Gondal suspended SHO Rai Shahid and ASI Zulfikar.

The Punjab chief minister took notice of the incident and sought a report.

The girl had approached rights activist Mukhtar Mai to seek her help when the case was under investigation. Mai reportedly visited the police station and requested police officers to do justice.

Pakistan

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Hamid Ali Tabatabai

Mar 14, 2014 06:47am

While girls are being raped the only solution the guardians of faith can think is finding themselves child brides.

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SARFARAZ

Mar 14, 2014 06:49am

That's the real face of so called security and judicial system...

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Ramesh Manghirmalani

Mar 14, 2014 06:50am

shame on Pakistan

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Adil

Mar 14, 2014 06:58am

this is so sad, i feel like crying the death of the girl is on hands of police and local court. only in Pakistan that people feel so helpless and hopeless

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Pakistani

Mar 14, 2014 07:19am

Another low point for our country. Shame on us.

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Atiq

Mar 14, 2014 08:10am

When are we going to learn? When are we going to provide justice? When are we going to stop this nonsense? Shame on chief minister of taking action now....were you waiting for her to burn herself?

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Ammar

Mar 14, 2014 08:27am

This is a sad day in the history of Pakistan, we have hit a new low....pathetic.

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string theory

Mar 14, 2014 09:01am

Words fail me that is the Sharif family punjab they r ruling it since 6 yeras

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Multani

Mar 14, 2014 09:08am

The Chief Minister of Punjab will not do anything. This is just to get TV face time and be in the news. He will go back to making money for himself, and his family.

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Umar

Mar 14, 2014 09:08am

@Ramesh Manghirmalani: how many times have you seen Pakistanis go to Indian newspaper websites after the news of rape, only to say 'Shame on India'? Yes we have these issues which in no way can be justified, but please put your own house in order before you start shaming Pakistan. We Pakistanis ourselves are self-sufficient for that purpose. Kindly refer to Mr. 'Pakistani' already shaming ourselves (which I am not sure is a Pakistani too. I am not too sure if I am Umar as well, who knows). @Dawn, I know you guys moderate comments, and my own comment might not go through your 'strict controls', but why cannot you moderate the comments from trolls like Mr. Ramesh?

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Sumbal

Mar 14, 2014 09:12am

OMG This Is Sooo Painful..

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umair

Mar 14, 2014 09:30am

@Umar: well said Umar,, but the thing is that like everybody else newpaper n agencies are here to get hits who cares in real neither they bother to look afterwards ....

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Sajjad

Mar 14, 2014 09:46am

It is really painful and condemnable. Shame on media persons who were busy in shooting the incident instead of saving her life first and let her seriously injured.

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Public

Mar 14, 2014 09:57am

@Atiq : Since the people who have control over legal judicial system and the politics are themselves involved in crimes, the only solution is to kill these criminals and their supporters who are above the law.

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Yaqub Ehsan

Mar 14, 2014 10:03am

The problem is that the average Pakistani has become so immune to unspeakable travesties that people can literally get away with murder. Scandals that should bring decent people out on the streets can barely garner a yawn in Pakistan. When will this nation wake up and realize its great potential, to become a real force for decency at a global level.

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Nomi

Mar 14, 2014 10:12am

There should be death penalty for rapist there is no other way arround but the issue is that there are countless number of so called liberals who oppose death penalty and death penalty is actually suspeneded in our country..........

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Naseer U Khan

Mar 14, 2014 10:19am

Hello ,Shahbaz Shareef,

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Danyal

Mar 14, 2014 10:40am

We all burnt her soul...she burnt her body:(

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Rabia Ahmed Sikandar

Mar 14, 2014 10:47am

What an irony, Organization for Islamic Ideology is making second marriages easy for males but paying no need to such increasing rates of rapes and paying no heed. The need of an hour is to awake them up. For how long women will fall prey to such brutal acts and for how long we will not do any thing to stop this. Shame on such Islamic councils and shame of all those who have closed their eyes.

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Rabia Ahmed Sikandar

Mar 14, 2014 10:56am

@Ramesh Manghirmalani: The rate of such incidents is alarmingly high at the other side of the border. I think rather than asking Pakistan to shame; we must do something to eradicate the root cause of the problem. It was very easy for me to simply say "SHAME ON INDIA" too when young doctor was brutally raped in bus and later she died, but for me such incidents are not meant to put blame on one party or the other. We all need to take some corrective actions irrespective of race, religion, language and region because this is the problem persisting in almost all parts the world.

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Saleem

Mar 14, 2014 10:59am

@Ramesh Manghirmalani: Such shameful incidence are not only issue of Pakistan, this is human issue and takes place in almost every country of globe.

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Mike

Mar 14, 2014 10:59am

That is why you should let the MULLAHS enjoy young BOYS. that will keep them away from young Girls.

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razia

Mar 14, 2014 11:00am

Rape is still only considered a crime if it happens to your Sister, Mother or Child. These Police officer are equally criminals that collaborate with the aggressor.

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Qasim

Mar 14, 2014 11:58am

@Naseer U Khan: Hello Shabaz Sharif. I am busy in running metro bus in Lahore for 70 thousand people. Shabaz Sharif cant do to rectify the justice and police system. As Judges they need in election as returning officer and police they need to look after people casting vote. That more important thing to them any thing else.

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Ataullah khan

Mar 14, 2014 12:23pm

This is shame for our judicial system and plice who take big salaries and sold for money.Chief justice should take suo notice of this case.It should not left for chief minister.if we investiges this case honestly money will have been taken both by judicial and police high ups.Examplaroy punshiment should be given to all those who are involve in this henious crime.

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Oman

Mar 14, 2014 02:48pm

@Ramesh Manghirmalani: Shame on India too. India too have lot of rape incidences.

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Asad Ullah

Mar 14, 2014 05:45pm

There is no justice in our country for Oppressed people. Policemen takes wrong advantage of their powers and mostly involved in crimes and back up them.

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amd

Mar 15, 2014 12:24am

@Pakistani: In India in Kolkata a similar case was reported in Madhyamgram village on October 23 2013.The victim was a 16 year old girl who was gangraped by 6 youths of her same locality.When her father went to lodge a police complaint ,the poor girl was again brutally gangraped the next day by the same 6 persons in REVENGE.The accused had no fear of the police.Two months later the accused went to the house of the girl victim & burned her alive.Today police are useless in India

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Haroon Rooha

Mar 15, 2014 06:47am

Daily occurance of maiham , injustice, political paralysis,deteriorating law and order, has practically paralysed the middle class.He is afraid even to or acknowldge the crimes. When daughters and sisters of South East Asia are not safe, secure , dare not walk straight up right,How can they be proud of their 5000 yrs old culture??.

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Ajay

Mar 17, 2014 02:04pm

Providing Justice is the foundation of a happy and stable society. Administration and rulers are natural extension and products of the society they rule. May be there is something wrong with we all south asians. We all are so corrupt and callous towards each other. No wonder, our law enforcement and administration too are highly corrupt. Unfortunately, we all deserve such administration and courts. "Be the change, you wish to see in the world".

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Ajay

Mar 17, 2014 02:05pm

@Ramesh Manghirmalani: Ramesh, We are no better in India. We all south asians, are corrupt to the boot.

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Wakeup

Mar 17, 2014 02:07pm

@Mike: Just like your saints?

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