Acid attacks leave lasting scars in Faisalabad

Five victims injured in four incidents, activists call for stronger laws

FAISALABAD:

As 2025 draws to a close, acid attack incidents in Faisalabad have once again highlighted the persistence of gender-based violence and the grave human cost of domestic and personal disputes.

Official police records show that four acid attack cases were reported in the district during the year, leaving at least five people, mostly women, with serious burn injuries and lifelong trauma.

The most recent incident occurred in December in the Samundri area, where a woman, Jameela Bibi and her nephew Muhammad Ahsan were injured after acid was thrown on them by motorcycle-borne assailants.

The victims were travelling to attend a family wedding when they were attacked on a road between Chak 463-GB and 464-GB.

Jameela Bibi suffered burns on her arms and back, while her nephew sustained injuries to his shoulder and neck. Police later arrested the prime suspect, Ali, along with his mother, while efforts to apprehend other accomplices continued.

According to police investigations, the Samundri attack was rooted in a family dispute arising from a second marriage, a factor that has been common in several such cases.

Law enforcement officials said acid attacks are often driven by personal grudges, rejected relationships, inheritance conflicts or domestic tensions, making women particularly vulnerable.

Earlier in the year, another acid attack was reported in the Ghulam Muhammad Abad area, where Farzana Bibi was targeted following a domestic dispute.

In Nishat Abad, a man identified as Amjad suffered burn injuries in a separate incident, while Shakeela Bibi was attacked in the City Samundri area.

All four cases resulted in the registration of criminal proceedings under relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, including Section 336-B, which deals specifically with acid-related violence.

Police officials stated that in two of the cases, Ghulam Muhammad Abad and City Samundri, the accused were arrested promptly and challans were submitted to the courts.

In the Nishat Abad case, an interim challan was filed, while in the latest Samundri incident, police said a complete challan would be submitted within the stipulated legal timeframe.

City Police Officer Faisalabad, Sahibzada Bilal Umar, took notice of the Samundri incident and directed senior officers to form special teams to track down all suspects.