GUJRAT: A father of two minor girls was booked on Sunday for setting his wife on fire, allegedly for not bearing a son, at Jedpur village in Jalalpur Jattan Sadar police limits.

The suspect, however, denies the allegation and alleges the woman attempted self-immolation following a domestic row.

A case has been lodged against the suspect under sections 324, 147 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the report of Muhammad Sarwar, the victim’s brother. The police have arrested the suspect.

According to the FIR, the suspect, Jameel, who had two daughters -- one some three years old and the other one-year old — would often quarrel with his wife Asma Bibi over not bearing a baby boy. Following such a quarrel on Sunday he poured kerosene on her and set her on fire.

The injured woman was immediately shifted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Kharian, from where she was referred to the Mayo Hospital, Lahore, in critical condition.

According to police, the suspect refuted the allegation of burning his wife, claiming she attempted self-immolation following a domestic quarrel.

Police were yet to record the victim’s statement and were waiting for her to be stable.

Published in Dawn, Aug 4th, 2014