KARACHI: Police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested a man for setting his wife on fire after she objected to his extramarital affairs in the Mehran Town area.

Korangi SSP (Investigation) Mohammed Qais Khan told Dawn that the police conducted a raid in the Azeempura area and arrested the suspect, identified as Waqas.

He said the arrested suspect had set fire to his wife, Rabia, on March 15, and an FIR under Section 324 (attempted murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code was registered on March 16. She has been admitted to the Burns Centre of the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi.

Rabia told the police that she married Waqas about two years ago on their free will. Shortly after the marriage, Waqas’s attitude towards her changed, and he began beating her regularly. He also became interested in other women, she added.

On March 14, when Waqas did not return home until late at night, Rabia said she suspected that he might be with some other woman. When he returned home, he started beating Rabia and in a fit of anger, sprinkled kerosene oil and set fire to her and fled.

Boy found murdered

A 10-year-old boy, Usman Salman, was found murdered in his home off Superhighway on Tuesday, police said.

Sohrab Goth SHO Sohail Khaskheli said the body was recovered from a room while the family members were sleeping in another room. The officer said the dupatta with which Salman was strangulated was of his sister. The police suspected some family dispute behind the murder.

The family originally hailed from Punjab and had been living in the city for the last two-three years.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2025