LAHORE - Police on Wednesday arrested a man for allegedly torturing his wife and shaving her head for refusing to dance in front of his friend at their house in Kahna.
The main suspect, identified Mian Faisal, had tied the knot with Asma Aziz four years ago. The incident took place at a house in DHA Rahbar after midnight on March 24.
Both the federal and provincial governments sprung into action days after the victim, with shaved head and bruises on her face, uploaded her video on social media demanding safety and justice. The police also registered a criminal case against the suspects and started raids to arrest them as the incident made headlines on TV news channels.
A police spokeswoman told reporters that two suspects nominated in the First Information Report were arrested by police on early Wednesday. “The police are thoroughly investigating this terrible incident and the victim is being provided all possible help,” the spokesperson said.
Punjab Police Inspector General Amjad Javed Saleemi on Wednesday directed his team to protect the woman and also take action against the policemen in the light of the statement of the victim.
In her video statement, 22-year-old Asma Aziz complained that the local police demanded bribe when she visited the police station to get justice. “They (my husband and his friend) undressed and beat me with a pipe. The police demanded cash foe medical examination. I had no cash to pay them. How and from where I can pay them,” she said with sobbing eyes.
A police official said that a criminal case was registered against two men on the complaint of the woman under section 337-V and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code. According to the FIR, Mian Faisal and his friend Rashid tortured the lady and shaved her head by using electric machines.
The victim also told the police that she married to Faisal four years ago and he started quarrelling with her just six month later. “My husband is addict to drugs and he often forces me to dancing in front of his friends,” she said.
Earlier, Minister of State for Interior Shaharyar Afridi took notice of the incident and sough a detailed report from the Punjab government as the video went viral of the social media. Many people took to twitter to condemn the police for backing the criminals instead of helping the victim.
According to a statement issued from the central police office, Punjab IGP took notice of the incident and sought a detailed report from Lahore police. The Lahore police submitted its detailed report to the police chief on Wednesday. According to report, the FIR of the incident was registered on March 26 and the woman nominated two men namely Faisal and Rashid in the FIR. Both the accused were arrested and sent to the police lockup. On the directions of IGP, the investigation have launched probe into the incident and “a detail report will be submitted after completion of the inquiry.”
Violence against women is not rare in this province where hundreds of women are killed each year by their relatives for brining shame to the family. According to a report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, more than 2,500 cases of violence against women were reported across Pakistan last year. The data of the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women reveals that at least 3,860 women called for help after suffering domestic violence in 2018. Similarly, 5,320 women called to report cases of sexual harassment during the same period.