Pakistan: Acid thrown on 4 women in Quetta

Faces and hands of victims severely burnt in attack near a shopping centre

Unidentified armed men doused four women with acid in the suburbs of the provincial capital leaving the victims’ hands and faces burnt severely, on Monday.

The women were returning to their homes at noon from the shopping centre for Eid shopping in Birave area of Killi Kamalu, a suburb, when the motorcycle riding unidentified men intercepted and threw acid, according to the Sariab Police. As a result, the four women, identified as Bibi Zulekha, Bibi Noor Jan, Bibi Safia and Bibi Ayesha, suffered deep burns on the faces and hands.

Eyewitness accounts recounted the women’s ordeal who screamed after the attack as the attackers fled. The women were shifted to the Civil Hospital.

The Kechi Baig Police reached the site shortly. Capital Police Officer Abdul Razaq Cheema took immediate notice of the incident and formed a committee under the administrative leadership of Sariab ASP Imran Shiekh who would analyse the incident and investigate the women’s families to reach a conclusion.

The police concerned of the area have also been issued directives to make the arrests of those responsible at the earliest. It may be mentioned that acid-throwing incidents had been condemned by social, political and religious and tribal quarters.