Woman's legs hacked for trying to end abusive marriage in Nausharoferoz

• Sobia Batool's elders were outraged at her for seeking divorce.
• Her legs were severed by her father, uncles for raising her voice.
  
• Local police taking swift action nabbed one of her accused uncles.

SUKKUR: In a shocking incident in Sindh's Nausharoferoz district, both legs of a woman named Sobia Batool Shah were savagely hacked by her bloodthirsty father and uncles in the name of patriarchal "honour" for filing for divorce to end an abusive marriage.

The deeply disturbing act of violence occurred in Gul Town of the district, leaving the victim in severe physical as well as mental trauma, which may result in a lifelong handicap — with the possibility that she may never be able to walk again.

Reportedly, Syed Mustafa Shah, Sobia’s father, and her uncles Syed Qurban Shah, Ehsan Shah, Shah Nawaz, and Mushtaq Shah, who were armed with axes, injured Sobia, and fled the spot leaving her screaming for help in a pool of blood. 

As soon as police reached the crime scene, Sobia was rushed to a Nawab Shah hospital. Sobia revealed to the police the savageries her patriarchs inflicted upon her for seeking a divorce from her abusive and deadbeat husband, who never took responsibility for his family.

The poor woman further told police that her husband would regularly abuse her and failed to provide for her and their two children, leaving her to suffer on her own in Karachi. 

According to Sobia, she repeatedly alerted her parents about the plight she was in, but her family turned a deaf ear to her grievances and dismissed her, calling her a disgrace.

In a desperate attempt to escape her abusive marriage, Sobia filed for divorce, which incited her father and uncles to confront her. 

According to the police, Sobia’s enraged patriarchs accused her of bringing dishonour to the family by taking legal action against her husband. When she refused to withdraw her case, they attacked her with axes, they added.

Taking immediate notice of the incident, the senior superintendent of police (SSP) of Nausharoferoz, ordered the local station house officer (SHO) to bring all the accused to justice and ensure the victim's security.

Responding to the directions, the police have so far managed to arrest one suspect, Mushtaq Shah, and are conducting further raids in search of the remaining culprits.