Acid thrower awarded capital punishment | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Acid thrower awarded capital punishment

RAWALPINDI: Additional Sessions Judge of Rawalpindi Mohammad Naveed Iqbal on Friday announced death sentence for an acid thrower who took the life of her ex-girlfriend in 2009 by burning her face and sensitive body parts with it.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs500,000 on the convict Mohammad Asif. However, the co-accused in the case – Abrar Ahmed and Abdul Waheed – were acquitted for want of evidence.

According to the prosecution, Asif, a friend of deceased Gulnaz Bibi 27, was annoyed at her as she got married with another man Riaz Shah. In order to satisfy his anger and to take revenge he threw acid on her burning her body parts.

An FIR of the case registered in R. A. Bazaar police station by Nasreen Bibi, a sister in law of the deceased, said Gulnaz told her on telephone on June 5, 2009 that she was visiting a shrine of Baba Gohar Ali Shah along with her friend Asif.

Nasreen said Asif got angry with Gulnaz over a minor dispute and left her in the cab saying he had to buy something from a nearby shop. Then Asif brought acid and threw it on Gulnaz. Nasreen claimed to have heard cries of Gulnaz on telephone.

The prosecution told the court that police found the victim injured. Gulnaz was shifted to District Headquarters (DHQ) hospital where doctors declared that acid had burnt her body at four points severely.

According to medical report, the victim’s face including eyes, back, sensitive body parts and arms were burnt in the attack. Gulnaz kept hospitalised for 26 days and on July 1, 2009 she finally succumbed to her injuries.

The acid thrower Asif after the incident escaped from the scene, he remained an absconder for two years but surrendered himself to the police on July 8, 2011.

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