Lahore: A Pakistani woman suffered severe burns to her face when two men threw acid on her here today for allegedly turning down a proposal to have relations with one of them.
Farah, who is in her 20s, was going to the market when two motorcyclists intercepted her in Nawankot, a thickly-populated area of the central Lahore, witnesses told police.
"After some arguments one of them threw acid on her face and fled," police official Younis Habib said. Habib said initial investigation showed that one of the men was forcing the woman to have relations with him.
"On her refusal, he threw the acid on her face," he said. The woman was shifted to Mayo Hospital where the doctors say her face has been completely burnt.
A case has been registered against unidentified attackers and police are investigating the case. There has been a rise in acid attacks in the country.
According to statistics compiled by the Aurat Foundation, an NGO, from January to September 2014, about 43 cases of acid attacks have been recorded in Punjab province only. It says 65 per cent of acid attack victims were women and girls, 15 per cent children.
The report further says the prosecution rate was only 35 per cent.
