LAHORE: A newly married woman, who was allegedly set on fire by her in-laws two days ago, succumbed to her critical burns at Nishtar Hospital, Multan, on Monday.

The young woman, Fouzia (28), a resident of Jatoi tehsil, had suffered critical burns at her house two days ago under mysterious circumstances.

Rescue 1122 and police shifted the woman to Nishtar Hospital burns unit for treatment on Sunday afternoon, where she succumbed to her burns on Monday morning.

According to the hospital doctors, the deceased woman had suffered 80 per cent burns.

As per the FIR registered by Jatoi police, the woman got married some four months ago and lived with her in-laws as her husband worked in a factory in Sialkot.

The FIR says three of the woman’s in-laws — her brother-in-law Niaz, Altaf and Fyaz — allegedly doused her in petrol and set her on fire, following a domestic dispute.

Police claimed to have arrested the suspects and started investigation.

However, a senior police official, on the condition of anonymity, told Dawn that the initial investigations suggest that it is a case of suicide and the woman set herself on fire after sprinkling petrol on her body over a domestic dispute. He says that the Rescue 1122 team, that handled the injured woman, had also declared it a case of attempted suicide.

Earlier, Punjab Women Protection Authority chairperson Hina Parvaiz Butt took notice of the incident and sought a report from Muzaffargarh district police officer (DPO).

She directed the DPO to ensure merit-based investigation and arrest the suspects.

She said that those involved in the incident did not deserve leniency and should be made an example.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2026