On 5 June, Dr. Mahnoor Nasir reported for duty at a local hospital in Quetta, as she had many times before. She stepped into a space of care, routine, and professional responsibility, but it was within that space that she was attacked with acid. The violence was extremely brutal and immediate, but what it revealed was far more profound. It exposed a reality that remains difficult to confront: for many women in Pakistan, spaces of public service and professional achievement do not guarantee safety. Her case shocked the country, but it did not emerge in isolation. It reflects a pattern that continues to shape women’s lives in ways that are both visible and deeply entrenched.
Acid violence is highly prevalent throughout South Asia as one of the most dangerous manifestations of gender-based harm. This is not only confined to Pakistan, as India and Bangladesh also face similar patterns wherein attacks that are rarely spontaneous take place because of perceived ‘defiance’. These attacks are calculated, deliberate, and driven by a desire to punish the victim. Acid, in particular, is chosen not only for the harm it causes, but for its permanence. It is used to mark, isolate, and transform the victim’s place in society.
Social, cultural, and structural factors characterise this violence in Pakistan. Interpersonal conflict is associated with acid attacks, especially when women assert their autonomy. The availability of acid also plays a crucial role, as it is readily utilised in industrial and agricultural sectors. This culminates in instilling a low threshold for violence and permitting intention to become execution without much difficulty. The consequence is not only a criminal act but also a type of violence that is perpetuated and facilitated by its environment.
This also highlights the growing disconnect between law and practice. Pakistan has enacted numerous laws to curb acid violence, including the Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Act, which prescribes serious penalties. Despite these enactments, acid violence is highly prevalent in the country. Several international human rights bodies, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have raised concerns. Amnesty International considers acid attacks in Pakistan to be a severe human rights crisis rooted in systemic gender-based discrimination and societal patriarchy.
Acid violence has tragic consequences for the victims as they continue to face its lingering effects throughout their lives. The injuries suffered by the victims in the majority of cases are very serious and, as a result, they have to undergo multiple surgeries and treatments. In addition to this, survivors tend to face psychological trauma, social isolation, and economic marginalisation. The attack severely impacts a victim’s physical appearance, which also alters the victim’s relationship with the surrounding world as they experience alienation and stigmatisation and struggle to reassert their independence in society. It is due to these long-term effects of acid violence that it is described as a form of ‘living death’.
The recent judgment pronounced by the Supreme Court of Pakistan plays a very significant role in addressing this heinous crime. The three-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim emphasised that acid violence in the country needs to be addressed diligently. The Court contextualised these attacks as another form of gender-based violence rooted in control, rejection, and patriarchal dominance. In the judgment, Justice Kakar observed that while murder ends a life once and for all, victims of acid violence have to endure physical and psychological suffering every day. Hence, he stated that these attacks are ‘an offence worse than murder’. This judgment showcases the Court’s deeper engagement with the implications of the crime and signals a move away from a purely punitive understanding of justice.
The Court expressly recognised that penal sanctions alone are insufficient to address acid violence in the country. This acknowledgment is critical. It shifts the conversation from punishment to prevention and rehabilitation. The ruling emphasised that acid should be more tightly regulated in terms of its sale and distribution. The Court also noted that enforcement is a key challenge and called for improved investigations and prosecution. The Court opted for a survivor-focused strategy by calling for the establishment of the National Acid Survivors’ Rehabilitation Fund through specialised legislation for complete medical support and for the incorporation of survivors into disability support systems.
This shift is both necessary and overdue. Addressing acid violence requires a response that is coordinated and sustained. Regulation must be meaningful, not symbolic. Law enforcement agencies must be equipped to respond effectively and sensitively. Judicial processes must be accessible and timely, ensuring that survivors are not further burdened. Rehabilitation must move from the margins to the centre of the response, with adequate medical, psychological, and economic support.
At the same time, the issue cannot be separated from its social context. Acid violence is sustained by attitudes that view women’s autonomy as conditional. Challenging these attitudes requires more than legal reform. It demands sustained engagement, awareness, and a willingness to confront deeply embedded norms. Change in this regard is gradual, but it is essential.
The attack on Dr. Mahnoor forces a return to the human reality behind these patterns. It is a reminder that this violence is not abstract. It unfolds in workplaces, in homes, and in spaces that should otherwise be safe. The Supreme Court has articulated a framework that recognises both the gravity of the offence and the need for a more comprehensive response. The challenge now lies in ensuring that this framework is translated into practice. Until that happens, the persistence of acid violence will continue to reflect not only individual acts of cruelty, but the broader conditions that allow such violence to endure.
