Acid attack more heinous than homicide, tool of patriarchal violence: SC

Pakistan's Supreme Court has declared acid attacks a more severe offense than homicide in a landmark judgment. The ruling was made during the appeal of Abdul Manan, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for attacking a young woman with acid. Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, authoring the 14-page judgment, stated that acid assault victims endure a "living death," facing daily agony and physical degradation. The court emphasized that perpetrators aim to "extinguish the victim's soul," leaving a "living corpse" as a testament to their depravity. The judgment also recommended that federal and provincial governments consider accommodating acid attack victims under disability quotas. It called for specialized legislation to establish a National Acid Survivors’ Rehabilitation Fund. This fund would provide comprehensive medical coverage for reconstructive surgeries, physical therapy, and mandatory psychological support, including trauma counseling and psychiatric care. The court further suggested a mandatory monthly stipend for survivors unable to support themselves financially due to their injuries. Justice Kakar observed that acid violence is a tool of patriarchal dominance, often used to inflict "social death" upon women by destroying their physical identity, particularly after rejection of marriage proposals or sexual advances. The ruling cited examples from Bangladesh and Cambodia, advocating for a dual strategy of rigorous criminalization and stringent regulation of corrosive substances as essential deterrents.

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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.