Summary
- GUJRANWALA: The family of a man arrested in connection with allegations of violence against his pregnant wife has denied the accusations, saying the case stemmed from a financial dispute and not from the sex of the unborn child.
- Speaking to Minute Mirror, the woman’s father-in-law, Abdul Manan Mehr, and the elder brother of the arrested suspect said the allegations that the woman was assaulted because she was expecting a daughter were false.
- The elder brother of the arrested man told Minute Mirror that the family had always made efforts to provide religious and family support to their wives.
GUJRANWALA: The family of a man arrested in connection with allegations of violence against his pregnant wife has denied the accusations, saying the case stemmed from a financial dispute and not from the sex of the unborn child.
Speaking to Minute Mirror, the woman’s father-in-law, Abdul Manan Mehr, and the elder brother of the arrested suspect said the allegations that the woman was assaulted because she was expecting a daughter were false. They appealed to Chief Minister Punjab and senior police officers, including the RPO, CPO and DPO Gujranwala, to ensure a fair and impartial investigation.
Mr Mehr said his family belonged to a religious household and was engaged in business. He claimed that the dispute had arisen over Rs12.5 million allegedly owed by the woman’s brother, adding that the latter acknowledged the liability.
According to him, an argument took place between his son and daughter-in-law over the matter, during which a minor scuffle allegedly occurred. He denied that the woman had been subjected to the kind of violence described in the complaint.
“My daughter-in-law did not have serious injuries when she left the house,” he said, adding that the allegations regarding an attempt to terminate the pregnancy because of the expected birth of a girl were baseless.
The family also rejected the impression that they discriminated against female children. Mr Mehr said his sons’ wives could be questioned on the matter. He claimed that all of them had two or three daughters and that the family had never treated them differently.
The elder brother of the arrested man told Minute Mirror that the family had always made efforts to provide religious and family support to their wives. He said that after their marriages, the brothers had taken their respective wives for Haj, adding that the arrested man had also performed Haj with his wife this year.
The family members said the allegations had damaged their reputation among relatives and in the business community. They described the accusations as “serious and humiliating” and urged the authorities to examine medical reports, CCTV footage, witness accounts and the financial dispute before reaching any conclusion.
The husband, Tayyab Manan, was arrested by Sadar police after the woman’s family alleged that she had been tortured and that an attempt had been made to cause her pregnancy to terminate. The allegations were reportedly linked to claims that an ultrasound had indicated she was expecting another daughter.
Police have said that the case is under investigation and that action will be taken against anyone found involved on the basis of evidence. The woman’s medical examination and other material are expected to form part of the inquiry.
The accused family members maintained that they were ready to cooperate with investigators and had no objection to a transparent probe. They appealed to the chief minister and senior police officers to ensure that the matter was decided on merit.
The allegations made by both sides could not be independently verified. No final conclusion has been reached by the police or a court regarding the charges.
