Law to help victims of acid attacks passed

BILL HAS PROVISIONS TO SPECIFICALLY CRIMINALISE ACID ATTACKS

Pakistan’s National Assembly yesterday passed ‘The Acid and Burn Crime Bill 2017’, which offers free medical treatment and rehabilitation for acid burn victims, who often face physical and psychological disability for the rest of their lives.

The acid and burn crime bill was one of the significant legislations passed along with several others on Tuesday.

The bill was moved in the lower house of Parliament by Federal Minister Marvi Memon, a vocal supporter of women’s rights.

“The purpose of the bill is to support the victims and bring to justice the culprits at the earliest,” Marvi Memon said, thanking the government and the opposition for supporting the imperative bill.

The bill aims at making provisions to specifically criminalise acid and burnrelated violence by providing a fair and speedy trial of such heinous offences.

The proposed legislation offers free medical treatment and rehabilitation for acid burn victims, besides outlining a process for conducting trials of accused in the shortest possible time.

Memon, chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), said it took four years to pass the bill in its current form, and expressed hope that the bill would be also passed by the Senate.

She added that, with the introduction of this bill, acidrelated crimes have declined and the Pakistani documentaries that won Oscar Award were also encouraged by such legislation.

Activists hail passage

Pakistani human rights activists hailed the passage of the landmark bill. Valerie Khan, chairperson at Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) Pakistan, was delighted on the approval of long due legislation.

“It’s a very positive development that parliamentarians have realised the significance of the issue and agreed on a holistic approach to offer relief to the victims,” Khan told Gulf News.

Details of the bill are yet to be disclosed but what makes it historic is that “it addresses the need of the citizens who have been the victim of violence by offering them services including rehabilitation, reintegration and legal aid.”

The next step is the passage of from the upper house of the parliament.