Acid-throwing case: SC rejects convict's acquittal plea

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday rejected acquittal application of a convict and upheld 10 years sentence awarded to him in an acid throwing case. Justice Manzoor Malik while hearing the case said that throwing acid on a woman is a crime and the court cannot let it go like this. In the same breath, he continued that it is better to kill a woman than throwing acid on her, as it completely destroys her for the rest of life.

He said that once a woman becomes a victim of acid throwing, she is defaced and remains no more a female, so such a crime cannot be tolerated no matter what. "Just imagine how a woman would spend rest of her life if her face is defaced by throwing acid," he regretted. Justice Malik further remarked woman whose face is damaged will not implicate any person unduly; adding this kind of crime must come to an end.

The judge who seemed visibly perturbed to see the convict seeking relief despite destroying the life of a woman by throwing acid, said: "Why shouldn't the sentence term [in respect of the convict] be enhanced?"

On this, the counsel for the convict said that he would not want enhancement in his client's sentence term.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019