The criminal act of acid throwing has risen greatly in Pakistan by the years. To be honest, it would be much less to just rate it as a crime. It is a way of getting severely punished – in this life, and later life. In my opinion, it is more sinful than committing an assassination.
Lack of education is the root cause of acid attacks here in Pakistan. After watching the Oscar winning documentary ‘Saving Face’, one can believe that acid attacks can be fought well. Apart from jail, there are several ways to overcome this social evil. I never mean that legal punishment is an unsuitable way, but I,being a young Pakistani, believe that the acid attackers can be treated socially, morally, and ethically.
The social method in my point of view is to have a total social boycott with the doer. There total social ostracisation would reiterate the fact that they have committed a heinous crime and act as a deterrent by conveying to all that there is no space for the perpetrators of such acts in society.
Another way would be having psychological counselling camps. This would be quite helpful in decreasing the rising rate of acid attacks.
These measures can prove effective in addition to the legal punishment already in place.
M IBRAHIM TARIQ
Lahore
