Three girls suffer burn injury in Gujrat acid attack

ISLAMABAD: Three female university students suffered burns in an acid attack carried out by three men in Gujrat on Thursday.

Police said the students - two sisters and another girl - were at a bus stop when three men on a motorcycle threw acid on them. The victims were taken to Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Hospital Gujrat where they are being treated for the burns on their faces.

Danga police station in-charge officer Ameer Abbas said that the primary suspect was the uncle of the two sisters who were attacked. Another accused was identified as the uncle’s friend.

His statements were seconded by one of the victims.

The uncle and his friend managed to escape, Abbas said, while the third suspect has been arrested.

Police said one of the girls had refused a marriage proposal which was the reason behind the attack.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Inspector General of Police Arif Nawaz took notice of the incident, ordering the Gujranwala regional police officer and Gujrat district police officer to submit a detailed report of the incident. They directed the police to arrest the suspects within 24 hours.

According to one of the victims, her uncle Abdul Qadeer along with his son and friend Hussam Owais threw acid on her and her friends. Upon the girl’s identification, Owais was taken into custody by the police.

The victim’s father, Umar Bilal, also reiterated this claim saying his daughter was attacked due to domestic dispute. This is the third acid attack incident to take place in Gujrat.