The Supreme Court's judgment on acid attacks could not have come at a more urgent moment. Coinciding with another high-profile acid attack case that has shaken the nation, the verdict drives home what should already have been beyond dispute: vitriolage is among the most heinous crimes imaginable, and the state's response must match the horror of the act.
Upholding Life Sentence and Fine
By upholding the life sentence and Rs1 million fine against Abdul Manan, the apex court has sent an important message. More significant, however, are the words used by Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, who rightly observed that an acid attack is in some ways more devastating than homicide. Death ends life once. Acid violence condemns its victims to a lifetime of pain, disfigurement, trauma, surgeries, social cruelty and financial ruin. It is not merely an assault on the body. It is an attempt to erase identity, dignity and personhood.
No Leniency for Barbarity
Leniency has no place in such cases. Age, social background or personal excuses cannot become shields for barbarity. The government must now act on the court's recommendations. A National Acid Survivors' Rehabilitation Fund, lifelong medical and psychological care, disability quota accommodation, monthly stipends for survivors unable to support themselves, and strict regulation of corrosive substances are not optional reforms. They are the minimum responsibility of a state that has failed too many women for too long.
Regulating Acid Availability
The most important recommendation is also the most practical: acid must not remain easily available to private individuals. Without strict licensing, biometric verification, digital monitoring and real-time regulation, punishment will always come after another life has already been destroyed.
Public Outrage and Government Action
Public outrage over acid violence is not fading. The government must demonstrate that it is listening. The court has given it both a warning and a roadmap. It must now build a framework that protects women before they become victims, and supports survivors long after the headlines disappear.
