The Tehmina Durrani Foundation (TDF) held a vigil at liberty roundabout on Friday to pay remember a victim of an acid attack, Fakhra Younus, on her fifth death anniversary. Acid was thrown on Fakhra’s face by her husband Bilal Khar, who is the son of a former governor of Punjab, Ghulam Mustafa Khar.
Fakhra was sent to Italy for treatment by Tehmina Durrani where she underwent with 38 surgeries. She was earlier denied a visa but was later allowed to travel abroad due to public pressure. Fakhra committed suicide by jumping from the sixth floor of a building in Italy on March 17, 2012.
Speaking at liberty roundabout, Tehmina Durrani said that there was a need to make Pakistan a social welfare state and that the whole nation must stand up to get rid of the current rotten system.
“The culprits have not been held accountable even after the passage of five years but I will not abandon my struggle till the culprits are arrested and Fakhra Younus Day is commemorated every year on the 17th of March, her death anniversary,” she said.
“The women of this country will continue to suffer acid attacks until the government controls or bans access to acid in markets,” she added. “Fakhra was not safe in this Muslim country, and I commend Italy, a non-Muslim country, that gave her treatment,” Durrani said.
“We can follow the model of Edhi Foundation in order to make Pakistan a social welfare state and I need the help of every citizen to accomplish my mission,” she remarked.
Tehmina Durrani urged the leadership of the PML-N to take a strict action against MNA Javaid Latif who used abusive language against PTI’s MNA Murad Saeed and said that he must be ousted from the party.
A large number of members of civil society were also present on the occasion.
