A “faith healer” in Pakistan smashed a nail into the pregnant woman’s head, claiming it would help her give birth to a boy.
The woman arrived at the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan, with a two-inch nail pierced into the top of her head. She initially told hospital staff that she had hammered the nail into her head herself on the advice of the faith healer, before later admitting that the ‘healer’ was the one who had done the inflicting act.
Doctors had previously told the pregnant woman, who already had three daughters, that she was expecting another girl after a scan.
Her husband threatened to divorce her if she had another daughter, prompting her to seek the help of a religious healer.
Doctor Haider Khan told Geo News that the pregnant woman arrived at the Pakistani hospital after attempting to pull the nail with pliers.
An X-ray showed the two-inch nail had pierced the top of the woman’s forehead but missed her brain.
The doctor said: ‘She was fully conscious, but was in immense pain.’
According to Peshawar police, victim assistance officers have been asked to meet with the woman in order to learn more about the incident.
They went on to say that those who were engaged would face “legal action.”
‘We have obtained the CCTV footage from the hospital and hope to locate the woman shortly,’ said city police head Abbas Ahsan.
‘We’ll have our hands on the sorcerer soon.’
Male children are given preferential attention in South Asia since it is thought that sons provide more financial security to parents than daughters.