RAWALPINDI: A 50-year-old woman was reportedly burnt alive after being doused with kerosene, allegedly by her brother-in-law in the Dhamial area, police said on Sunday.

The police have arrested the suspect and registered a murder case against him. Initially, the accused claimed the incident was caused by a compressor explosion, but after the police launched an investigation, it was revealed that the woman had been set on fire two days earlier in Dhamial.

Upon receiving information about the incident, City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Hamdani took notice and ordered the immediate registration of a case and the arrest of the accused. The brother-in-law of the deceased woman has been arrested, and a murder charge has been added to the report as further investigation continues.

Mohammad Shahzad Ahmad Bhatti, 23, a resident of Quaid-i-Azam Colony in Dhamial, filed an FIR with the police, stating that he was at work when he received a call from his uncle, who informed him that his mother had been burnt due to a compressor explosion.

His uncle told him to rush home, as she had been taken to CMH. When Shahzad arrived at the hospital, he found his mother in the emergency ward, badly burnt and unconscious.

In the FIR, Shahzad further stated that his sister told him that their aunt, Hajra Adeel, had argued with both her and their mother, Shahzia Farooq. Hajra had allegedly threatened to kill them, then kicked his sister out of the house and locked the door.

Shahzad said that his sister’s screams attracted the attention of neighbors, who came to her aid and unlocked the door. When they entered the house, they found his mother engulfed in flames, while Hajra Adeel was reportedly changing clothes.

Shahzad added that when his sister asked Hajra how their mother had been burnt, she claimed it was due to a compressor explosion.

Shahzad said he was certain that his aunt, Hajra Adeel, had intentionally set his mother on fire in an attempt to murder her.

He said the motive behind the incident was domestic unrest, as his father managed the daily affairs and expenses of the household, often leading to quarrels between his parents and his aunt over financial issues.

According to initial police investigations, the woman was doused with kerosene and set on fire. Further investigations are ongoing.

CPO Syed Khalid Hamdani condemned the crime, stating that crimes against women would not be tolerated and that the accused would be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2025