PESHAWAR, June 18: An additional district and sessions judge, Farhatullah Khan, on Saturday dismissed bail application of a person charged with killing his wife by setting her on fire. The court observed that keeping in view the available record the accused-applicant, Aamir Habib, could not be extended the concession of bail.

The accused and his mother, Ms Zahida Habib, were charged with sprinkling spirit on his wife, Fouzia Habib, and then setting her on fire on April 5, 2005, here at Gulabkhana area. Ms Zahida had already been released on bail by a local court.

The applicant’s counsel contended that he was falsely charged in the FIR and in fact the woman had committed suicide. He argued that the deceased had given conflicting statements and she was under pressure from her family members.

The applicant claimed he had given money to Fayyaz, the brother of Fouzia, for going abroad. However, he added, Fayyaz had deceived him in the matter, following which the couple was having strained relations.

He stated that he often asked her to persuade her brother to return the money and in that frustration she locked the door of her room from inside and set herself on fire.

The woman had claimed that they were issueless and the husband wanted to contract a second marriage for which he had been pressurising her. Finally, he set her on fire, according to her statement.

The woman struggled for her life for 15 days and expired at the burns unit of Kariyan CMH on April 20. The woman had been admitted to the Khyber Teaching Hospital after the incident with severe burn injuries. In critical condition, she was shifted to the Kariyan CMH by an NGO, AWARD (All Women Advancement and Resource Development) on April 11.

While NGOs were busy raising funds for her treatment and various representatives visited the hospital for donating blood, she breathed her last.