Reported cases: Research shows rise in acid terrorism

The number of acid attacks has significantly spiked in the past four years.


Sehrish Wasif April 22, 2014
The number of acid attacks has significantly spiked in the past four years.

ISLAMABAD:


Over the past four years, there has been a substantive increase in the number of reported cases of acid attacks in Pakistan. Meanwhile its victims continue to face huge medical, social, legal and economic challenges to reintegrate in mainstream society.


According to a report titled ‘Fostering Effective Implementation of Pro Human Rights Laws: Criminal Law Amendment Act 2011 (Act XXV), an Example of Good Practice’ — the total Number of Acid Attacks’ reported cases in 2009 was 43, which jumped to 143 in 2013.

In the first three months of 2014, a total of 49 cases have already been reported; while 65% of the victims scarred by acid attacks are still awaiting justice.

The report – jointly compiled by the Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) Pakistan in collaboration with National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) and Australian Aid – was launched in April 2014.

The report reveals that from 2009 to 2013, the highest number of acid attacks (150) was reported in year 2011; the number declined to 110 in 2012. However, in 2013, the number of reported cases once again shot up to 143.



In acid attacks, Punjab took lead with 589 cases, followed by Sindh with 29 cases. In Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), 16 cases each were reported, followed by Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) with 10 cases, Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) with 6 cases and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) with 1 case. Meanwhile, 282 incidents occurred at unknown areas, the report claims.

Districts of Southern Punjab present the highest number of acid attack cases with 104 reported from Multan, 87 from Muzaffargarh, 72 from Rahim Yar Khan and 70 from Bahawalpur. In Sindh, the highest number of attacks (15) was reported from Karachi, says the report.

Sex segregation of victims

Out of the total number of reported cases from across the country, at least 519 out of 949 victims are females – clearly reflecting and confirming that acid violence is also a form of gender based violence. Of the total, 15% victims are children, says the study.

The report suggests that radicalisation, terrorism, easy availability of acid, defective law, rampant poverty and lack of progressive education can fuel gender-based violence that can eventually result in acid attack, adding that majority of the attack survivors belonged to rural and feudal area.

However, these statistics are just the tip of the iceberg as the individual interviews of respondents – including survivors, police and people from communities, conducted during study – reflect that there are many families which do not always want to report attacks out of fear of reprisal or simply because family members are involved, or they are not empowered enough to start legal action.

Moreover, hospitals receiving acid attack victims lack gender segregated data and their data entry indicators are too vague to be relied upon.



Shortage of rehab centres

The report says that neither the medical structures are resourceful enough nor the nurses sufficiently trained to adequately treat the attack survivors. Very few victims have an access to emergency medical services and the government does not provide sufficient specailised acid burn treatment or rehabilitation facilities, it says.

The report highly recommends that the legislative framework of Pakistan must evolve. It suggests repealing discriminatory laws, passage of pending legislation related to human rights, adoption of new legislation to ensure gender equity as well as development of human rights, GBV and child protection policies.

Talking to The Express Tribune, the ASF Chairperson Valerie Khan said the increase in the number of cases showed people were getting aware of their fundamental right to report such cases by breaking the silence.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22nd, 2014.

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