LONDON: A Pakistani woman living in the UK who died from severe burns told emergency workers that her husband had poured flammable liquid over her before setting her on fire, the Metro newspaper reported.

An inquest into the death of Nosheen Akhtar heard that the 31-year-old died in hospital one day after the alleged attack in Greater Manchester in July 2021.

Rochdale Coroners Court was told that Akhtar had fled her home “engulfed in flames,” with neighbors rushing to try and save her.

Akhtar, who hailed from Pakistan, reportedly faced difficulties in her marriage with husband Waqas Mahmood, who was “worked up” but “cooperative” following the incident, a paramedic said.

Amy Bradburn, the paramedic who treated Akhtar, told the inquest hearing that her casualty’s face “looked as though it had been melted.”

The court heard that Akhtar had said to Bradburn, “my husband did it,” but the paramedic revealed that the woman had told another colleague that she had “poured petrol on herself.”

Akhtar’s mother, Zaheera Bibi, told the hearing that her daughter was frustrated over the state of her marriage. She said: “She used to ring and cry on the phone. There were so many fights and arguments between them.”

Akhtar was reportedly upset that Mahmood visited his ex-wife on a near daily basis.

“She wanted to make her marriage successful, and she wanted to do whatever she could do to save her marriage,” Bibi added.

The court was told that in February 2021, Akhtar had suffered an overdose and was taken to hospital.

Another medic present at the scene of the incident said that the woman was, “screaming in agony for us to help.”

Akhtar’s family in court described the woman as “brave and good-natured,” but added that she “kept a lot from the family.”

In a statement, the family said: “Nosheen did not want to show the family that she was stressed. She was very nice. She used to take care of us like a mother.”

The paramedic who treated Mahmood said: “I asked what had happened and he explained that his wife had poured white spirit on herself and set fire to herself.

“She came into the living room on fire, and he set about trying to extinguish the flames using cushions, towels, and blankets then picked her up and took her out of the house.”

The inquiry into her death was expected to last seven days. The court is set to be shown camera footage showing Akhtar fleeing the property while on fire as Mahmood and his brother use household items to stop the flames in the home.

Mahmood attended the inquest on Monday while his brother was absent.