Pakistan: Christian girl dies after being set on fire for refusing marriage proposal

The accused first threw acid at her , then poured kerosene on her to set her ablaze.

Rizwan first threw acid on Asma, then set her on fire. / Image: Twitter (@opchristians)

Lahore: A young Christian woman who was set on fire a week ago by a Muslim man for refusing to marry him , on Monday succumbed to her injuries at Lahore's Mayo Hospital in Pakistan's Punjab province. The suspect has been arrested by the police. "Asma Masih, 24, had critical burns. More than 80 per cent of her body had burns. Doctors tried their best to save her life but could not," said Dr Salman Kazmi of Mayo Hospital. Asma, a maid, had been brought to Mayo Hospital after a Muslim man, Rizwan Gujjar, allegedly set her on fire after throwing acid on her face on April 17 in Sialkot district, some 100-km from Lahore. Police have registered an FIR against Gujjar and arrested him. The murder case against the suspect has been registered on the complaint of Asma's father Yaqub Masih. According to the FIR, Yaqub Masih said her daughter worked at the house of Saeed Zaman at Mohala Parkpura Sialkot. "On April 17, my son and I were present at Zaman's house when at 11 pm there was a knock at the door. When Asma opened the door Rizwan Gujjar who was standing outside the house threw acid on her face. He also threw kerosene oil on her setting her on fire." He said the family members tried to catch Gujjar but he managed to escape. Meanwhile, Asma was rushed to a local hospital where doctors advised the family to take her to Lahore for better treatment. Yaqub said Gujjar, a resident of her locality, wanted to marry Asma. "Asma had categorically told him that she could not marry him because they belong to different faiths," Yaqub said, adding "we were not expecting that Gujjar would go for such an extreme step". Yaqub Masih had urged the Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar to take notice of the incident and ensure exemplary punishment to the suspect. Police official concerned Zulfiqar Ali told PTI that Gujjar has been arrested and he will be produced before court for physical remand. To a question about delay in his arrest, Ali said Gujjar had fled the city after committing the crime. "We have arrested him from a nearby village from the residence of his friend," he said.