Pakistan cops hunt 'faith healer' who told woman to hammer nail into head 'for baby boy'

Thankfully, by the time the woman reached a hospital, a neurologist, Haider Suleman, said that while the nail had gone into her skull, it had not gone through and penetrated her brain.

Now the faith healer who advised the questionable 'procedure' is being sought by police in the city of Peshwar, where the incident happened.

Speaking to a Pakistani news agency, Mr Suleman said: "She said that a woman in her locality did the same (hammered a nail into her head) and gave birth to a boy even though the ultrasound had shown her unborn child to be a girl."

It is understood the authorities became aware of the incident after the woman’s x-ray images went viral on social media.

It was also reported that family members tried to unsuccessfully remove the nail from the woman’s head.

The woman already has three daughters and was expecting a fourth when she decided to take the faith healer’s advice.

She was said to have been worried that her husband would leave her if she failed to have a boy.