SAHIWAL: Farid Town police have arrested a youth for allegedly forcing a sixteen-year-old girl to drink acid over rejection of his marriage proposal at 90/6-R village, leaving the victim in critical condition.

As per Rescue 1122 officials, the girl has been shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Sahiwal Teaching Hospital, where doctors are treating her for critical damage to her alimentary canal, kidneys and acid burns to her neck and lips.

On the complaint of the girl’s father, Muhammad Latif, Farid Town police have registered a case (FIR No 1885/24) under sections 324 and 336 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against the suspect, Usman.

The father, Latif, a resident of Ihsan City Housing Colony, 90/6-R village, told Dawn that the suspect Usman (19), resided in the same street where he lived with his family.

The complainant said the suspect’s family had proposed his (Usman’s) marriage with his (Latif’s) daughter, but they rejected the proposal because of caste issue.

Latif alleged that a couple of days back, Usman barged into his house and tried to give a mobile phone to his daughter Kausar Parveen (16), but she refused to accept it.

He said that on Tuesday evening, Kausar and his sister were in the house, while the other family members were away. He said Usman entered his house, grabbed Kausar and forcefully poured acid, which he had brought with him in a bottle, down her throat.

The complainant said that because of acid burns, Kausar cried with pain, while the suspect fled away.

He said that on being informed of the incident, police and Rescue 1122 teams arrived there and shifted the girl to hospital.

Farid Town station house officer (SHO) claimed that the suspect was arrested late on Tuesday night.

The complainant appealed to the police high-ups and Punjab chief minister to provide justice to his innocent daughter.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2024