Teenage girl set on fire by uncle loses battle for life

By Our Correspondent
February 17, 2025
Police officers stand behind crime scene police tape. — AFP/File

A girl who was set on fire by her uncle in the Bagh-e-Korangi area succumbed to her injuries at the hospital on Sunday after battling for her life for a week. Her mother Gulshan had died on the same day of the incident after she was burned alive. The Awami Colony police have failed to arrest the suspect.

The incident took place on February 10 in a house located near Bagh-e-Korangi. At around 10:15am, 16-year-old Asma, daughter of Rashid, was set on fire by her uncle. She fought for her life in the hospital for a week before passing away on Sunday.

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On the day of the incident, Asma’s uncle Dilawar had forcibly entered the house and doused his sister-in-law Gulshan, wife of Rashid, with petrol before setting her on fire. Asma and her 17-year-old brother Ahmed had also suffered burns while trying to intervene.

Police registered a case against the suspect on the following day based on a complaint filed by Rashid, the husband of the deceased Gulshan. However, the suspect remains at large. According to the complainant, he had a dispute with his elder brother Dilawar for the past six months, and they had had several arguments in the past.

On the day of the incident, Rashid was at his shop when Dilawar stormed into his house carrying a bottle filled with petrol. He first poured it on Gulshan and set her on fire. When Asma tried to save her mother, Dilawar poured petrol on her and set her on fire as well.

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