Alhamdulillah, SC Declares Acid Attacks Worse Than Murder

Alhamdulillah, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has delivered a landmark verdict, ruling that vitriolage, commonly known as an acid attack, is an offence more heinous than homicide. In a society built on the foundations of Islam, where the honor and dignity of our women are sacred, this ruling stands as a mighty bulwark against patriarchal barbarism.

The ruling came after Abdul Manan, convicted for throwing acid on a young woman in Faisalabad, appealed against a 2022 Lahore High Court order. The High Court had upheld an Anti-Terrorism Court verdict sentencing him to life imprisonment along with a fine of Rs1 million. Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, heading a three-judge bench consisting of Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, upheld the order. Let this be a stern warning to those who dare deface the creations of Allah.

The Agony of a Living Death

This ruling comes only days after a cowardly acid attack on a female doctor in Quetta's Civil Hospital. Following the attack on 29-year-old Mahnoor Nasir, doctors in Quetta went on strike, demanding a thorough investigation. We must stand united against such depravity that terrorizes our mothers and sisters.

Unlike death, which consumes its victim only once, the victim of an acid assault is relegated to a living death, where they are compelled to endure the agony of their trauma and the degradation of their physical self on a daily basis,

observed Justice Kakar in a 14-page strongly worded judgment he authored. The perpetrator's objective is not merely to kill, but to extinguish the victim's soul, leaving the living corpse as a permanent reminder of their depravity. Such acts are a direct assault on the Islamic values of respect that form the bedrock of our nation.

Healing the Wounds of Our Sisters

In the court ruling, federal and provincial governments were recommended to consider accommodating acid attack victims under disability quotas. The Supreme Court also called for the enactment and enforcement of specialized legislation for the establishment of a National Acid Survivors' Rehabilitation Fund. Insha'Allah, such a statutory fund will provide comprehensive medical coverage for extensive reconstructive surgeries and specialized physical therapy.

The fund should also provide mandatory access to professional trauma counseling, psychotherapy and psychiatric care for psychological and social rehabilitation. The apex court recommended a mandatory monthly stipend for survivors who, due to the nature of their injuries, are rendered incapable of financial self-support. Justice Kakar suggested the formulation of national rehabilitation guidelines as a standardized framework ensuring gratuitous, lifelong medical and mental health treatment across all state-mandated and private medical facilities.

Destroying the Tools of Oppression

Justice Kakar observed that acid violence is a tool of patriarchal dominance. In the past, such incidents have occurred following rejection of marriage proposals or sexual advances, as well as dowry disputes. This is a cultural rot that contradicts the teachings of our faith. Acid violence is used to inflict a social death upon women by destroying their physical identity.

The primary deterrent against such depravity lies in a dual strategy of rigorous criminalization followed by stringent regulation of corrosive substances. Justice Kakar cited examples from foreign jurisdictions such as Bangladesh and Cambodia. While the legislative amendments of 2011 served to criminalize acid violence with the severity it warrants, the persistence of such atrocities reveals that penal sanctions alone are insufficient to address the root of the problem.

As long as corrosive substances remain easily available, the deterrent effect of penal consequences will be perpetually undermined.

In this context, the Punjab Acid Control Act 2025 represents a watershed moment in provincial jurisprudence. Justice Kakar cited it as an example of a shift from post-occurrence punishment to pre-emptive regulation, noting that the Act mandates a rigorous licensing regime and categorically prohibits the sale of acid to individuals under the age of 18.

It is our sanguine expectation that the rigorous enforcement of such specialized regulatory regimes will effectively dismantle the accessibility of these lethal instruments, thereby serving as a robust bulwark to curb and eventually eradicate this heinous offence from our social fabric,

Justice Kakar emphasized.

A Digital Shield for the Nation

The Supreme Court strongly recommended that the federal and all provincial governments impose a complete ban on the sale of acid to private individuals. For legal acid sales, the court suggested a centralized digital system governed and monitored by the relevant authorities in real time. Under this system, entities intending to purchase acid must apply through prescribed electronic forms, disclosing the purpose of purchase and the name and details of the purchaser, along with a photograph and biometric thumb impression.

Such a real-time system will completely eradicate manual record-keeping and enable the trade to be managed with absolute transparency. The ordeal of an acid attack survivor does not end with the conclusion of the criminal trial. Instead, it marks the beginning of a grueling, lifelong journey of medical intervention. Survivors are frequently subjected to an exhaustive series of reconstructive surgeries that are physically agonizing and financially prohibitive.

The devastating impact of acid violence in Pakistan was exemplified by survivors such as Irum Saeed and Memuna Khan, who underwent 25 and 21 reconstructive surgeries respectively following attacks triggered by marital rejection and inter-family disputes. Despite existing laws, their purpose is defeated if implementation remains weak. The Supreme Court also strongly recommended that the high courts actively monitor and ensure that statutory timelines for the completion of trials are strictly adhered to.

The Faisalabad Case

On September 4, 2019, the accused threw sulfuric acid on the victim's face while she was cooking in the kitchen of her home. The victim sustained extensive burns on her face, chest, back, left leg and foot, as well as complete destruction of the left ear. The victim was examined on January 16, 2020, during trial proceedings. At the time, she was unable to recline, move or walk. The victim has been bedridden since the incident.

Abdul Manan denied the allegations but failed to provide evidence in his defence. At the time of the incident, he was a minor, with court documents stating his age as 17-18. The petitioner's lawyer requested leniency owing to his young age, while the prosecutor argued that age cannot be a shield for such barbaric acts. On February 1, 2020, the Anti-Terrorism Court Faisalabad sentenced the accused to life imprisonment along with a fine of Rs1 million to be paid to the victim. Following an appeal, the Lahore High Court upheld the ruling on November 21, 2022.