Police arrested a man for allegedly torturing and throwing acid on his wife in the city. Police registered a case under Section 336B.
According to the police report, a resident of Bismillah Town in her police complaint stated that she married Muhammad Nadeem in 2007 with whom she had four children. The couple used to have frequent fights at home, the complainant told police.
On the day of the incident, she was going to take medicine from a nearby doctor when the suspect Nadeem came in a rickshaw and intercepted her.
Read Police cells to tackle rising domestic violence
Nadeem allegedly physically assaulted his wife in front of their neighbours and after returning home, started making false accusations against her.
The suspect later beat his wife again and allegedly threw acid on her due to which she suffered severe burns on parts of her body.
The complainant further told the police that she first informed her brothers about the incident. The victim stated that her husband Nadeem had certain suspicions on her.
Acting on the complaint, Razaabad police arrested the suspect and a case was registered against him under Section 336B of the Pakistan Penal Code. Incidents of violence against women including acid attacks were not uncommon in the province.
On June 7, a young girl, who worked as domestic help, was reportedly attacked with acid over the refusal of a marriage proposal in Johar Town, Lahore.
The 27-year-old victim, a permanent resident of Pakpattan, had moved to Lahore for work. She had been staying in Feroziyanwala Johar Town and worked a few miles away in Chungi Amar Sadu as a maid.
On the day of the incident, she was on her way to work in the Sui Gas Society in Chungi Amar Sadhu. Reportedly, two suspects, one of them identified as Ahmad Liaquat, a resident of Depalpur, Okara intercepted her near Jagawar Chowk on a motorcycle.
He approached her and forcefully insisted to drop her to at work. The victim refused the offer. The suspect carrying acid in a steel vessel poured on her face.
She suffered burns on her hands, face and neck. In September 2019, a woman was attacked with acid in Factory Area. She was 45-year-old and worked as a sanitary worker at an office. Reportedly, she had developed a relationship with a co-worker. When their relationship soured, the suspect attacked her with acid. She had received serious burn injuries.
Read Violence against women: a crime, societal failure or mental illness?
According to a non-governmental organisation, Acid Survivors Foundation Pakistan (ASF), at least 1186 cases of acid throwing have been reported in Pakistan from 2007 to 2018 in which 1485 people fell victim. It claimed that the cases had dropped over 80% since 2014.
According to the organization, at least 83 attacks were reported in 2012 leaving 104 victims affected. In 2019, at least 109 cases were reported with 140 victims. In 2014, 153 cases of acid assault left 210 victims affected. In 2015, 101 victims were affected due to 69 attacks.
In 2016, a total of 73 cases in which 103 victims were injured were reported. In 2017, there were 39 acid attacks with 48 victims. In 2018, there were 57 attacks. At least 80 people had been left affected.
To curb it, Legislative Assemblies in Pakistan have passed various bills and taken measures.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 12th, 2021.
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