A 19-year-old Pakistani Christian girl was attacked with acid because she refused to convert to Islam and marry a Muslim man.
Newsroom (13/02/2023 6:00 PM, Gaudium Press) Sunita Masih, 19 years old, denied the insistent marriage requests made by her neighbor, Kamran Allah Bux.
Kamran, a Muslim wanted to force Sunita’s conversion to Islam in order for them to marry. Since the young woman had refused his requests, Kamran threw acid on Sunita.
About 20 percent of Sunita’s body was burned. “My eyes, face, arms and legs started burning as soon as Kamran threw the acid at me. The pain was so unbearable that I fainted in the street,” Sunita explained to the police. Sunita, who lives with her sister since the death of her parents, was returning home from work when she was attacked by her neighbor.
Sunita’s uncle explained that Karam’s action will be forever marked in the young woman’s life: “Will she be able to lead a normal life again? We know how society treats victims of acid attacks,” he said, referring to the visible after-effects of the attack.
He further explained that Karam’s harassment has been going on for a long time. After the young woman complained to her siblings, they spoke to Kamran’s parents, but to no avail. The family then approached the police to report the harassment, but no change in behavior was noticed.
After the attack, Kamran was detained by the police and pleaded guilty before the court. In his statement, he said that he fell in love with Sunita and that he attacked her after having her marriage proposal denied.
Between 2007 and 2022, 1,500 cases of women attacked with acid have been reported in Pakistan. The consequence for the victims is enormous as they are marginalized and discriminated against for the deformities caused by the substance.
Religious authorities, organizations, and activists are fighting with the authorities to ensure greater safety for Pakistani women, especially those belonging to religious minorities (FM).
Compiled by Florence MacDonald
