KARACHI: A man set his wife on fire and committed self-immolation in their rented house in Korangi on Thursday, police and hospital officials said.

They said that the couple suffered 100pc burns and were taken to the Burns Centre of the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi where Mohammed Jameel, 25, and his wife Muskan died during treatment.

Jameel and Muskan had tied the knot around four years ago and the couple had an 11-month-old daughter, they added.

Zaman Town SHO Rao Rafiq said that the woman, who was brought to the hospital at 1pm and died at around 7pm, was in her senses and gave her video statement on the hospital bed.

She said that her husband was suspicious of her ‘character’ and on Thursday he poured petrol on her and set her on fire, alleging that she did not love him as she loved someone else. She also informed the police that her husband was an ‘ice’ (crystal meth) addict.

The SHO said Jameel’s mother also confirmed to the police that her son was an addict and that he had been arrested and released from prison recently. She said because of his addiction, the couple’s landlord had ‘pressurised’ him to vacate the house without giving him sufficient time to find any other place.

He said Jameel and his landlord also had a quarrel on Wednesday night. He said the police had detained the landlord, Hussain, for questioning.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2023