Unrequited love?: Actress suffers burn injuries in acid attack
Pashto stage actor and singer Bushra allegedly attacked by producer Shaukat.
Bushra. PHOTO: FILE
PABBI:
It was only a day ago that Bushra had a beautiful face and dreams of a future. Little did she know, as she went to sleep, that she would wake up in the worst way possible. With a single splash of acid on her, a man caused excruciating acid burn injuries and shattered her hopes. This stage actress and singer of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is struggling with the wounds. And acid continues to be sold openly for as less as Rs20 in bazaars.
According to Ijaz Khan, SHO Pabbi police station, Shameem, a resident of the Khudrizai area, reported that she was sleeping at her house along with her son and her daughter Bushra, when Shaukat allegedly barged into their house and threw acid on her daughter. As a result, her daughter received severe burn injuries.
An official of the Lady Reading Hospital told The Express Tribune that they have provided initial treatment to the victim, saying she has suffered around 33 per cent burn injuries on her face and shoulder but her condition is stable. He further said they referred her to the Khyber Teaching Hospital. Another official on condition of anonymity said that she has been discharged after treatment.
The alleged perpetrator is a Pashto drama producer. Over a money row, he allegedly threw acid on Bushra in the wee hours of Saturday, in the Pabbi police station limits, district Nowshera. According to Shameem, Bushra worked with the accused in his drama project. When he didn’t pay her, Bushra demanded it. The alleged perpetrator got infuriated and committed this heinous crime for revenge.
Local residents said the incident took place after a marriage proposal was rejected by the actress; however the police do not confirm any such reason behind the incident.
There were at least 150 registered cases of acid throwing in Pakistan in 2012. Reports indicate that in a majority of these cases, the trigger is disputes, may they be property-related, marital or familial. The jahez (dowry) factor is also common. A majority of acid-throwing victims are young girls up to the age of 25.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 23rd, 2013.
It was only a day ago that Bushra had a beautiful face and dreams of a future. Little did she know, as she went to sleep, that she would wake up in the worst way possible. With a single splash of acid on her, a man caused excruciating acid burn injuries and shattered her hopes. This stage actress and singer of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is struggling with the wounds. And acid continues to be sold openly for as less as Rs20 in bazaars.
According to Ijaz Khan, SHO Pabbi police station, Shameem, a resident of the Khudrizai area, reported that she was sleeping at her house along with her son and her daughter Bushra, when Shaukat allegedly barged into their house and threw acid on her daughter. As a result, her daughter received severe burn injuries.
An official of the Lady Reading Hospital told The Express Tribune that they have provided initial treatment to the victim, saying she has suffered around 33 per cent burn injuries on her face and shoulder but her condition is stable. He further said they referred her to the Khyber Teaching Hospital. Another official on condition of anonymity said that she has been discharged after treatment.
The alleged perpetrator is a Pashto drama producer. Over a money row, he allegedly threw acid on Bushra in the wee hours of Saturday, in the Pabbi police station limits, district Nowshera. According to Shameem, Bushra worked with the accused in his drama project. When he didn’t pay her, Bushra demanded it. The alleged perpetrator got infuriated and committed this heinous crime for revenge.
Local residents said the incident took place after a marriage proposal was rejected by the actress; however the police do not confirm any such reason behind the incident.
There were at least 150 registered cases of acid throwing in Pakistan in 2012. Reports indicate that in a majority of these cases, the trigger is disputes, may they be property-related, marital or familial. The jahez (dowry) factor is also common. A majority of acid-throwing victims are young girls up to the age of 25.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 23rd, 2013.