MIANWALI: Desperate for son, a couple killed their first baby, two months old daughter, by throwing her in their house water tank on Thursday.

This heartbreaking incident was reported to a patrolling team of Harnoli police station headed by ASI Syed Anwar, who reached Katianwala village (in the precinct of Harnoli PS) and seized the body of Palwasha, daughter of Shehzad and Salma.

During a police inquiry, it was found that Shehzad and his wife Salma were not happy over the birth of the girl as they wanted a male issue.

They couple threw the suckling in water tank and informed relatives that she had died of some disease.

Police registered a case against them U/S 302, 34 of PPC on the report of the ASI and sent the body to the Piplan Tehsil Headquarters Hospital for autopsy.

A doctor told Dawn the cause of death was drowning.

Mianwali is one of the backward districts of Punjab, lacking in education and economic means. Such cases have already been reported in the district in the past but offenders are seldom sentenced for lack of prosecution. Now police act as complainant but the conviction rate is very low.

Sons are often seen as providing income and security, while daughters can be a financial burden due to the illegal but still prevalent dowry system. Moreover, there is a strong cultural preference for male children to carry on the family name.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2025