Acid Thrown On Lakki Marwat Teenager For Refusing 'Friendship'

Acid Thrown On Lakki Marwat Teenager For Refusing 'Friendship'
A 19-year-old boy in Lakki Marwat suffered burns when a boy from his village threw acid on him, police have said. The attack apparently came after the teenager had refused advances for 'friendship' with his eventual assailant.

Waqar, the 19-year-old victim, told Lakki Marwat Police that he was heading to the local bus station to catch a bus to Taunsa Sharif, around 240 kilometres south in the neighbouring Punjab province.

The victim said that he was accompanied by his brother Hikmatullah and that they intended to make the journey with the hopes of getting some work as labourers.

He added that they were waiting for the bus when Azizullah Kisaf Khan, a resident of their village, approached him.

Waqar said that without any warning, Azizullah emptied a bottle of acid on his face and fled.

Hikmatullah, with help from passersby, rushed Waqar to the Government City Hospital in Lakki Marwat.

Later, in his statement given to police while under treatment at the hospital, Waqar said that Azizullah was forcing him to remain his friend.

However, Waqar said that he told Azizullah that he wanted to earn a living through hard work and thus had to leave the village. This, Waqar said, had angered Azizullah.

On Waqar's complaint, police lodged a case against Azizullah under Section 336-B of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
Punishment for itlaf-i-salahiyyat-i-udw:
Whoever, by doing any act with the intention of causing hurt to any person, or with the knowledge that he is likely to cause hurt to any person, causes itlaf-i-salahiyyat-i-udw of any person, shall, in consultation with the authorised medical officer, be punished with qisas and if the qisas is not executable, keeping in view the principles of equality in accordance with the Injunctions of Islam, the offender shall be liable to arsh and may also be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years as taz'ir.

336B. Punishment for hurt by corrosive substance:
Whoever causes hurt by corrosive substance shall be punished with imprisonment for life or imprisonment of either description, which shall not be less than fourteen years and a minimum fine of one million rupees.

Police say they are investigating the matter and are searching for the suspect.

Waqar comes from an impoverished background. His father works as a hawker at a bus station in Lahore.

His relatives in Lakki Marwat claim that the suspect hails from an influential local family and that he is hiding in a nearby village but the police have yet to apprehend him.