Man handed down life imprisonment for throwing acid on cousin that killed her

A sessions court on Friday sentenced a man to life in prison for throwing acid on his cousin, which led to her death.

Shahzad was found guilty of killing 29-year-old Sana, divorcee and mother of two children, in an acid attack at her residence in Akhtar Colony in December 2021. Additional Sessions Judge (South) Shahid Ali Memon ruled that the prosecution had succeeded in establishing its case against the accused beyond any shadow of doubt. "It is hereby held that the accused had committed the offence of throwing acid upon an innocent lady without any justification and due to such an act she had died," he said.

The judge awarded life term to the convict and imposed a fine of Rs1 million on him. In case he failed to pay the fine, he would have to suffer additional one-year imprisonment. He was also given the benefit of the Section 382-B of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), meaning the period of detention since his arrest would be counted toward his prison term.

The judge observed that the offence with which the accused had been charged was not an ordinary one as it "hurts entire society thus it can be said that it is against entire society". "It has been noticed that nowadays school-going girls, teachers and common females feel unsecure due to increase in such kind of acts. Therefore the accused involved in such cases do not deserve any leniency," he said.

State Prosecutor Parvez Hussain Solangi argued that on December 2, 2021, Shahzad hurled acid at Sana at her house in Akhtar Colony, causing severe burns to her face and body. The victim succumbed to her injuries on December 23, he added. He said the accused attacked her with acid after she declined his marriage proposal.

In his statement under the Section 342 of the CrPC, the accused stated that he had gone to his maternal uncle Shakeel's house when he heard commotion. He claimed he saw the victim holding a bottle in her hand, and he immediately intervened to save her life.

An FIR was lodged at the Mehmoodabad police station under the Section 336-B (punishment for hurt by corrosive substance) read with the Section 302 (murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of the victim’s father.