For a moment, it seemed Pakistan was moving, however slowly, towards some measure of healing. The verdicts in the Noor Mukadam case and the Motorway rape case had offered the country a fragile sense that justice, however delayed, could still be done. Then came the acid attack on Dr Mahnoor Nisar at Quetta's Civil Hospital, reminding the nation once again that women in Pakistan cannot get a breather. Their safety remains conditional, their dignity vulnerable, and their lives one man's wounded ego away from being permanently altered.
The Brutality of Acid Attacks
Acid attacks are among the most vicious forms of violence against women. They are not merely assaults on the body, but attempts to erase identity, beauty, confidence and personhood. At their core lies a diseased sense of male entitlement that cannot tolerate rejection, independence or refusal. No condemnation is strong enough for such cruelty.
Roland Garros rewards resilience as Zverev completes his Grand Slam journey. The Balochistan authorities, to their credit, acted swiftly. The alleged attacker was tracked down and killed in an encounter while reportedly attempting to flee. In a country where justice is often slow, indifferent or absent, the speed of the response will bring some reassurance. Yet even this cannot undo the horror inflicted on Dr Nisar. A quick death is far too kind a fate for such a crime, and no punishment can truly match the lifelong trauma left behind.
Recognizing Heroes
The decision to honour Abdul Razzaq Tarakai, who risked his own safety to help the doctor, is also welcome. Societies must know whom to celebrate and whom to condemn. Heroes who act with courage and humanity in moments of terror must be held up as examples, just as monsters who prey on women must be cast out without hesitation.
Drug Dependency in Pakistan. But justice after the fact, and honours after heroism, are not enough. Dr Nisar's life has been fundamentally changed. Pakistan must strengthen law enforcement, hospital security, prosecution, education and social reform to prevent such attacks before they occur. A society that cannot protect its women cannot call itself civilised.
