A 35-year-old woman suffered burn injuries after an unidentified person threw acid at her in Karachi’s Upper Gizri area on Thursday, police said.
Police said that the attacker targeted the woman near Nasir Filter Plant, within the jurisdiction of Clifton police station, as she returned home.
The woman works at a bungalow in Clifton, according to South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Syed Asad Raza. He said that the woman’s husband lives in Punjab with another wife, while her three sons also live with their father there.
Following the attack, an Edhi ambulance took the woman to the Burns Centre at Civil Hospital, Karachi, for treatment. Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed confirmed that the woman suffered burns across 15 percent of her face, neck and abdomen.
DIG Raza stated that police were working to obtain CCTV [Closed-Circuit Television] footage from the area to identify the attacker and establish the motive behind the assault.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar has taken strict notice of the incident and sought an immediate and detailed report from the South Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), according to a statement from his office.
Lanjar directed police to use all available resources to arrest the suspect and initiate legal action. He also ordered an investigation to establish the facts, determine the motive and identify any individuals or elements involved in the attack.
The home minister also instructed authorities to ensure the woman receives medical treatment and that her family receives legal and administrative assistance.
Lanjar called for a zero-tolerance policy against serious crimes such as acid attacks and said that there will be no tolerance for officials showing negligence or delays in arresting the suspect.
He directed the South SSP to personally supervise the investigation and keep him informed about its progress. He also instructed officials to complete all legal requirements needed to provide justice to the victim without delay.
In August, the Supreme Court (SC) declared acid attacks more heinous than homicide in a landmark judgement, describing such crimes as leaving victims to endure a “living death”.
