Two women killed in Karachi as gender-based-violence cases see alarming rise

• Man throws acid on ex-wife in Baldia Town neighbourhood, furious at her for posting TikTok videos. 
• In separate incident, another man allegedly murders wife for refusing to pay him money for drugs. 
• Men gun down newly-married couple over so-called honour. 

KARACHI: Two women were killed Saturday in separate incidents while another was subjected to an acid attack, as cases of violence against women continue to surge across the country. 

According to a report published in The News, a man threw acid on his former wife in the Baldia Town neighbourhood on Saturday, reportedly irked at her for posting TikTok videos.

Police arrested the suspect’s father and launched a search for the fleeing man. Sindh Governor Imran Ismail took notice of the incident.

The horrifying attack took place at a house located in Sector 9/C of Baldia Town within the limits of the Saeedabad police station. Citing initial investigation, police said the tragic incident took place at around 9am, when the suspect threw acid on his former wife and escaped.

The injured woman was immediately taken to the burns ward of the Dr Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi. According to Saeedabad SHO Shakir Ali, the victim was identified as 21-year-old Rimsha, daughter of Akram, while her former husband as Syed Zeeshan, who was behind the acid attack on the woman.

The officer said that the suspect had managed to escape after committing the crime, adding that police had taken the suspect’s father, Fida Hussain, into custody. The officer also said that the victim had married the suspect of her own free will two years ago, adding that she had applied for divorce this February.

The woman’s family told media outside the hospital that she worked at the city courts and was associated with a law firm. The family said she also used to post videos on TikTok in her free time.

They claimed that Zeeshan threw acid on Rimsha, and that he often used to fight with her for posting videos on TikTok. They said that despite their divorce, Zeeshan used to stop Rimsha from going to work and had even tried to force her to go with him to his house once.

The couple had shot many TikTok videos together, but Zeeshan wanted Rimsha to stop using the app after their marriage, leading to constant arguments and disagreements between them, the victim’s mother told the media.

Police said Zeeshan had targeted Rimsha when she was leaving the house for work, adding that their disagreements over TikTok caused frequent scuffles between the couple, leading to their divorce.

Police also said that the victim’s family had contacted the police a few months ago after the ex-husband had tried to take the woman to his house, adding that both the families were contacted by police and the matter was discussed with them.

They said Zeeshan’s father had even submitted a surety in writing that the suspect would not force his ex-wife to live with him. They also said that there were multiple issues between the attacker and the victim.

Sindh governor takes notice of the acid attack

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail took notice of the incident and sought a detailed report from the Karachi police chief, ordering him to arrest the attacker immediately. The governor also directed authorities concerned to ensure every medical assistance to the victim.

Man allegedly kills wife with hammer

In another case of a grisly murder targeting a woman, man allehedly murdered his wife by hitting her with a hammer at their house in the SITE Area apparently when she refused to give him money for drugs.

According to the police, the incident took place at a house located in Mastan Chali Akbar Muhalla within the limits of the SITE-A Section police station.

After receiving information, police and rescue officials reached the house and took the deceased to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where she was identified as 35-year-old Pervez, wife of Abdus Sattar.

According to the victim’s brothers, the woman’s husband was a drug addict as well as unemployed, which often led to arguments with his wife.

They said the man had killed their sister in the wee hours with a hammer because he could not get money for drugs from her. The suspect managed to escape from the scene of the crime after the murder. Police have recovered the hammer from the crime scene. The deceased had four children and hailed from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

SHO Zafar Ali Shah said the suspect was a labourer and addicted to drugs, adding that the police arrested him in the Iqbal Market area of Orangi Town. The officer said the suspect had admitted to committing the murder, adding that he had claimed to have killed his wife over alleged honour.

Newly-wed couple gunned down

A newly-wed couple who had married of their own free will about a month ago, was shot dead allegedly by the woman’s brothers in the name of so-called honour in the SITE Area.

The tragic incident took place at a house located near Sultan Masjid within the limits of the SITE-A Section police station from where the bodies of a man and a woman were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. The couple was identified as 27-year-old Sher Zaman, alias Moosa, and 24-year-old Amna, alias Ruby.

SHO Zafar Ali Shah said the couple had been residing in the house where the incident took place. He said the woman’s family had been unhappy with the marriage, adding that Zaman’s family lived in Orangi Town’s Ghazi Goth and Amna’s in MPR Colony.

Citing the initial investigation, the officer said the woman’s brothers Asad and Siddiq were behind the incident, as they had shot the couple dead over “honour” and then escaped. 

The officer also said that Zaman was shot twice and Amna once, adding that both had died on the spot. Police have recovered the empty shells of the pistol used in the attack and sent them to the forensic division of the Sindh police for ballistics cross-matching.