SAHIWAL: A newly-wed woman has accused her husband of physically abusing her and inflicting burns on her body with cigarettes.

Sumera Batool leveled the allegations at a press conference at Pakpattan Press Club on Monday.

Flanked by her father Allah Dita and mother Naziran Bibi, Ms Batool, a resident of Garh Morr, Vehari district, said got married to Saleem, a resident of 20-SP village, on March 9, 2018. She said her husband had been forcing her to seek a divorce as he did not want to marry her.

When she insisted on continuing the marriage, Saleem started torturing her.

She alleged that besides slapping her and threatening her with a pistol, Saleem would burn her arms, legs and other body parts with a cigarette.

She said Saleem’s father Fazal was aware of the situation but did nothing to rescue her.

Ms Batool’s brother Ghulam Mustafa said his sister had been complaining of torture at the hands of her husband since she got married to Saleem.

Ms Batool appealed to Punjab police IG and the chief minister to help her.

Sources said the woman’s family had approached Sadar police for registration of a case against Saleem but to no avail.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2018