The funeral of acid attack victim Fakhra Younas, who committed suicide in Italy on Saturday, was held in on Sunday.
The funeral was offered at Edhi Centre Sohrab Goth after the body was flown back home. Fakhra was laid to rest at Gizri graveyard. Social worker Abdul Sattar Edhi, MQM leaders and a large number of people from all walks of life attended the funeral of the acid victim who ended her life after a 12-year fight for justice and recovery following the painful experience.
A large number of people from civil society, social and welfare organisations, including MQM ministers, were present at the Jinnah International Airport to receive Fakhra’s body. Women were carrying placards demanding the Supreme Court to take notice of such crimes.
Fakhra’s sisters, the Italian ambassador to Pakistan and Tehmina Durrani, the former step mother-in-law of Fakhra was also present to receive the body. People from all walks of life condemned her suicide while MQM chief Altaf Hussain urged the president and PM to bring the culprits to justice.
Her former husband, Bilal Khar, a former MPA and son of former Punjab governor Ghulam Mustafa Khar, threw acid on her face on May 14, 2000, after which she was taken to Italy where she underwent 39 reconstructive surgeries.
Separately, Bilal denied that he threw acid on her wife’s face. Talking to a private TV channel, he said that Fakhra lived with him for four months after the acid attack. He claimed that Fakhra refused to tell him who had attacked her. “She committed suicide because promises made to her by certain people were not fulfilled,” the former MPA said.