SIALKOT: After being repeatedly raped by a man who had promised to marry her and later being forced to drink acid by him, 21-year-old Kainat Bibi on Sunday died in the hospital where she had been admitted for some six months.

What was even more painful for Kainat than the burns caused by the acid that left her unable to speak, the fact that her tormentor was still at large, said her mother Farzana Kausar, while relating her dead daughter’s ordeal to Dawn.

She said that Waseem, a resident of Kotli Chandu village, enticed Kainat of Kulluwal village into an exploitative “love affair” a couple of years ago, promising her that he would marry her.

She alleged that the accused during these years repeatedly raped her daughter, delaying the “marriage” indefinitely on various pretexts.

The grieving mother said the accused got so emboldened that he abducted Kainat in February, 2017 and took her to Gujrat where he kept on raping her.

Later, he dropped her near her house and went away.

The accused, she said, later returned with a bottle and told Kainat that it was a medicine to avoid pregnancy. When Kainat refused to take the liquid in the bottle, that was actually acid, Waseem poured it down her throat forcibly and fled.

Farzana said her daughter’s condition became very critical and she was admitted to the Government Allama Iqbal Teaching Hospital where doctors confirmed she was given acid. The doctors said the acid had permanently damaged her vocal chords and that she won’t be able to speak for the rest of her life.

She said that she got registered a case (No 27/2017) under sections 337-J, 265-B and 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) at Airport police station, Sialkot, against Waseem.

Kainat remained at the hospital for about six months, fighting for her life in an extremely painful condition and finally succumbed to her acid burns. The officials concerned of the Airport police station said that they had arrested Waseem but he was later granted bail by a local court in the case.

Kainat’s mother said the accused was influential and he was threatening her with dire consequences if she pursued the case. She urged Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to take notice of the incident and ensure that justice be done to her.

The police handed over Kainat’s body to her family for burial after the autopsy conducted at Sambrial Tehsil Headquarters Civil Hospital.

She was later buried at the village graveyard amid sobs and tears.

According to local police, following Kainat’s death section 302 of the PPC would be added to the FIR. They claimed the accused would be arrested again soon, as raids were being conducted for the purpose.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2017