In a country notorious for oppressing its women, two burns victims raise their voice for justice. Hailing from interior Sindh, they have demanded that the government jail the culprits who ruined their lives and are still roaming free.

19-year-old Huzoora Dharejo of Thari Mirwah, district Khairpur and Soba Masih, 24, of

Sanghar, while talking to the media on Saturday at the Burns Ward of the Civil Hospital Karachi, said the government was not doing enough.

Huzooran, narrating her story, said a man belonging to her community named Ghulam Nabi Dharejo used to visit her house frequently and tried to force her into illicit relations with him. Based on Huzooran’s compliants to her parents, he was barred from entering their house.

“This made him really angry and on February 9, he barged into our house along with five armed men. The men threw acid on me and fled.”

She was immediately rushed to a local hospital which referred her to the Civil Hospital Karachi as it lacked the facilities needed to treat burns victims.

“With the help of Madadgaar helpline, an FIR was registered against the culprits with the Thari Mirwah police, however, no arrests have been made so far.”

Meanwhile, Soba Masih alias Sobo of Qadri Muhalla, Sanghar, told the media that she had been married to Riaz Masih five years ago, but her mother-in law, Shakeela, was not happy with their union. Shakeela leveled serious allegations against her daughter-in-law and tried to force her son to divorce his wife, but he refused.

On January 21, her mother-in-law gave her a mixed her tree with a drug after which she lost consciousness. Petrol was sprinkled over her limp body and a match was lit. She received serious burns injuries and was taken to the Burns Centre of the CHK.

An FIR was later registered with the Sanghar police.

The accused, Shakeela along with Soba’s husband Ishaq Masih, were arrested and further probe is underway.

Madadgaar Helpline founder and president of Lawyers of Human Right Zia Ahmed Awan, who was also present on the occasion, regretted the alarmingly high number of girls falling prey to domestic violence in the country.

He said as many as 137 cases of burn victims were recorded by the Madadgaar Database during 2011. “Data reveals that some 923 cases of burn attacks were recorded during the last five years.”