RAWALPINDI: An elderly woman, who was set on fire along with her husband allegedly by their enraged son on Thursday, died in Holy Family Hospital on Friday.

Riffat Bibi, who was in her 60s, was badly burnt with her husband Shabbir Ahmad, after their son doused them in petrol and set them alight in Ashraf Colony, Dhamial.

Riffat was a mother of five and sustained 80 to 85pc burns. She died on Friday morning, Ahsan Shahzad, her younger son, said.

He said his mother was laid to rest in a local graveyard after sunset, adding that she did not talk to him when she was shifted to the hospital.

Ahsan Shahzad, 32, lodged an first information report (FIR) with police, stating that he had been residing on the second floor of his house while his parents and elder brother, Mohammad Wasim, were living on the ground floor.

He said upon hearing screams, he rushed downstairs and saw his elder brother, Wasim, running out.

He said when he entered his parents’ room, he found his father Shabbir Ahmad, a retired government employee, and mother Riffat in flames. Upon seeing this, he quickly grabbed blankets and quilts to put the fire out.

“I tried my best to put out the fire but they were badly burnt,” he said.

Later, the Rescue 1122 crew reached the spot and shifted the victims to Holy Family Hospital (HFH).

He said his brother had gotten into an argument with his parents following which his wife had also left the house. The suspect was arrested by police and sent to judicial jail on Friday.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2022