Man held for setting wife, three daughters on fire over delayed meal

LAHORE: A man was arrested in Lahore for allegedly setting his wife and three young daughters on fire following a domestic dispute linked to a gas outage, police said on Saturday.

The incident occurred in the Shahdara area, where police said the suspect became enraged after his wife was unable to prepare food on time due to load-shedding of natural gas supplies.

Police said the man locked his wife and daughters in a room before setting it ablaze. The victims suffered severe burns and were shifted to Mayo Hospital, where they remain in critical condition.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif directed officials to ensure immediate medical assistance to the victims.

Punjab Women Protection Chairperson Authority Hina Parvez Butt visited the hospital, met the victims’ family, and assured full support, including medical, legal and psychological assistance.

She directed the doctors to provide the best possible care.

Police confirmed the arrest of the suspect and said an investigation is under way.

Butt condemned the attack as a “heinous and unforgivable crime,” adding that those responsible for violence against women and children would face strict legal action.