'Bigger crime than murder': SC rejects acquittal plea of acid attacker despite victim's forgiveness

[Abdullah719]

In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the plea for acquittal filed by an acid attack convict, saying he deserved no mercy despite the claim that his victim had forgiven him for the crime.

"Acid attack offenders do not deserve any clemency," Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa declared while hearing an application filed by convict Javed Iqbal, who approached the apex court with an appeal against the sentence he was awarded for throwing acid on a woman.

The lawyer for the petitioner informed the SC bench that the female victim of the acid attack had "forgiven" his client.

But Justice Khosa said that there could be no compromise in a case concerning an acid attack.

"The affected woman may forgive [the convict], but the law cannot forgive an acid attack suspect," the top judge added.

He clarified that the law regarding acid attacks was "extremely strict", saying: "Burning someone with acid is a bigger crime than murder."

Justice Khosa said the petitioner had committed "extreme cruelty" by attacking the woman with acid

He said the punishment for throwing acid was life imprisonment and that it was a "crime against the state".

"It is possible that the affected woman was threatened into going to the Supreme Court to give a statement [of forgiving the convict]," the chief justice observed.

"The law cannot forgive anyone who burns someone's face with acid," he concluded, rejecting the convict's plea for acquittal.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1493452/b...-of-acid-attacker-despite-victims-forgiveness

 

[Abdullah719]

Excellent decision.

 

[Solid Snake]

Superb decision, may the low life **** who committed this despicable crime rot in jail for the rest of his life (or at the very least for a good portion of it!)

 

[Madplayer]

Well done.

In matters of such henious crimes, the state should take it upon itself to punish the culprits.

 

[Mueez]

Great decision.

 

[SensiblePakFan]

Good.

 

[Couch Cricketer]

Good they should treat all crimes like murder etc as crimes against the state as our systems are currently not good enough to protect victims from being forced under threat to forgive the crimes against them. The most galling for me is when a father or husband kill their daughter or wife and then get forgiveness from their sons or children. Or jirgas forcing the girl to marry the guy that raped her or her brother gets to rape or marry perpertors sister as if the women are nothing more than property.

 

[Abdullah719]

Buzdar launches program for acid attack victims

LAHORE: The Punjab Social Protection Authority under the Punjab Ehsaas Programme has launched “Nai Zindagi” and “Punjab Human Capital Investment Project” at a cost of Rs53.25 billion.

Presiding over the launch ceremony, Chief Minister Usman Bazdar said both projects were of great importance. He said the Punjab Ehsaas Programme was the first step towards materialising the dream of “Riyasat-i-Madinah”.

Under the “Nai Zindagi” programme, the chief minister said, treatment facilities would be provided to men and women suffering from acid attack besides rehabilitation of such patients.

He stressed that social rights of acid attack victims should be safeguarded besides providing them with dignified living opportunities.

“The Punjab government will bear complete treatment expenditures of the acid victims,” he announced.

Mr Buzdar said state-of-the-art burn units had been set up at Jinnah Hospital and Mayo Hospital in Lahore, Victoria Hospital in Bahawalpur, Nishtar Hospital in Multan, Allied Hospital in Faisalabad and Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi.

He said interest-free loans for providing skills and self-employment would be arranged to the affected people. Initially, he said, Rs200 million had been allocated for Nai Zindagi programme.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1579340/buzdar-launches-program-for-acid-attack-victims