Convicts awarded life imprisonment in acid attack case

Victim was on her way to work when convicts intercepted her

LAHORE:

An anti-terrorism court in Lahore on Thursday awarded life imprisonment to two convicts for an acid attack on a woman.

Life imprisonment was awarded to Muhammad Ahmed and Shah Nawaz under Section 336-B of the PPC read with section 34 PPC. A fine of Rs1 million was also given to the convicts, with the amount being paid to the victim.

The ATC judge further awarded 10-years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) each under Section 324 PPC read with section 34 PPC and 10-years RI each under Section 336 PPC. They were also given one-year rigorous imprisonment each under section 337-FI PPC.

On June 7, 2021, the complainant, Maryam, was on her way to her workplace at Sui Gas Society near Chungi Ameer Sadhu in Lahore when the convict, Ahmad, along with the other convict were waiting on a motorcycle. Ahmad asked the complainant if she wanted a ride to her place of work, but Maryam refused.

The convict, at the time of the incident, was carrying a steel jug in his hand which was filled with acid. After the complainant's refusal, the convict threw the contents of the jug on Maryam, due to which she suffered burn injuries on her face, neck and hand. The case was registered by Johar Town police.

However, the convict claimed in his statement that the complainant poured hot liquid on herself after he refused to solemnize marriage with her.

The second convict, Shah Nawaz, claimed that he was innocent and the story was concocted by the police.

The survivor in her statement said she had no prior relationship with Ahmed and also denied the claims he made in his statement to the police.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2021.