Man sets girl on fire for refusing marriage proposal in Pak's Punjab province

A 16-year-old Pakistani girl was set ablaze allegedly by a man after she refused his marriage proposal in southwestern Punjab province, according to a media report Thursday.

The incident occurred in Muzaffargarh district when the suspect and his unidentified companion set the girl on fire in an attempt to kill her and ran away from the site of the incident, the victim's mother was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper.

She said that the suspect's parents asked for her daughter's hand in marriage but they rejected the proposal, alleging it was due to this the suspect and his accomplice entered her house and set her daughter on fire.

A first information report (FIR) has been registered by the teenage girl's mother and the suspect has been arrested.

According to the FIR, the victim's mother woke up at around 1.30am when she heard her daughter screaming. She said two men were running away after pouring oil on her daughter and setting her on fire, the report said.

Police said that the victim, who suffered burn injuries on her face, body and arms, was shifted to Muzzafargarh District Headquarters hospital, police said, adding that her condition was stable.