Petition filed over failure to control sale of acid

ISLAMABAD:

A woman has petitioned Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking complete ban on “illegal” transportation, storage and sale of acids in the capital to protect lives of public at large.

The case will be taken up by Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui on Thursday (today).

Petitioner Hamda Khatoon said in urban and rural areas of the capital, illegal sale of acid were on the rise, adding it was the quickest weapon to destroy a person’s life.

The Islamabad chief commissioner and the IG of Islamabad Police have been made respondents.

Khatoon through her counsel, Yasir Mehmood Chaudhry, maintained that acid was easily transported into Islamabad from Lahore, Sheikhupura and Gujranwala, but the respondents never bother to inspect these vehicles and even provide safe passage.

Chaudhry contended that the acid trade was going on without any governing rules or regulations, adding that acids were easily available in shops at nominal prices and one bottle was enough to destroy a person’s face.

Over the years, he said, there has been a substantive increase in the number of reported cases of acid attacks. Besides, victims continue to face huge medical, social, legal and economic challenges, he added.

Apart from the violation of fundamental rights, the respondents have failed to protect the lives of citizens, he alleged.

Name, proof of identity and a reason for buying acid are kept on record all over the world, the petitioner said, adding a ban should be imposed on unregulated sale of acid.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2015.