Pakistani woman dies after jilted suitor douses her in petrol and sets her ablaze
As many as 1,000 women have been murdered in honour killings in the past year, women's campaigners and charities claim
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A Pakistani woman has died after a jilted suitor doused her in petrol and set her ablaze.
Sonia Bibi, 20, suffered serious burns over 45 to 50 per cent of her body after her former boyfriend, Latif Ahmed, allegedly attacked her in the Multan district, in the central Punjab province of Pakistan.
Although doctors at the Nishtar hospital thought they would be able to save the woman, Ms Bibi’s wounds had become infected and she died overnight, AFP reported on Tuesday.
It is believed she was attacked after she refused to marry Mr Ahmed.
She is the latest casualty in a country where approximately 1,000 women were murdered last year alone. International aid organisations and charities suspect this figure may dramatically underrepresent the true cost as many so-called “honour killings” are never reported.
The Aurat Foundation, which works to help empower women and tackle gender-based violence, claims more than 3,000 women have been killed in similar attacks since 2008.
In 1999, the murder of Samia Sarwar made international headlines after the mother-of-two was shot dead in an attack that was believed to have been orchestrated by her own family.
Ms Sarwar had run away from her violently abusive husband, and had filed for divorce when she was killed in the offices of two women’s rights campaigners.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments