January 22, 2025
By Xari Jalil
LAHORE
After five years of lobbying, the Punjab Acid Control Bill was finally presented on Wednesday, January 22, where it was given unanimous support by the treasury and opposition members both. The Bill is now lying with the Special Standing Committee, from where it is expect to be passed smoothly.
“It has been five years since we began drafting this bill in 2018,” said Gul Hassan Abbas, the executive director of the Initiatives for Sustainable Development (IFSD). “For five years we have been pushing the government to enact this legislation. Finally the motion was unanimously approved by the government and the opposition both, and has been sent to the special Standing Committee of the parliament for formal process.”
Data
The Bill draft was prepared and developed by the IFSD with the financial support of The Asia Foundation. till date it is unclear exactly how many acid attacks take place across Pakistan, but it is understood that more than 200 such attacks especially against women, take place annually across Pakistan. But because of data limitations, having reliable, comprehensive data collection on these crimes is challenging.
While the data collection of acid attacks is not thorough, data has been collected by the Punjab Police. Acid attacks occur frequently in Punjab.
| Year | Registered Cases |
| 2013 | 69 |
| 2014 | 75 |
| 2015 | 58 |
| 2016 | 70 |
| 2017 | 52 |
| 2018 | 74 |
| 2019 | 70 |
| 2020 | 60 |
| 2021 | 50 |
| 2022 | 45 |
| 2023 | 70 |
| 2024 till Date | 40 |
Strategic Campaigning
“It is basically a zero money Bill and requires few structural changes,” he said. “This is a big reason why it is being passed unanimously.”
What could have taken even less time, took over five years because of the political upheaval especially in Punjab.
“In May 2022, the Bill was presented and passed by CM Buzdar’s cabinet, but unfortunately the in August the same year, the Government was dissolved, and following that the interim government did not bother to take on this task. The Bill was left pending.”
Hassan praised the efforts of the member of Punjab Assembly, Hina Parvez Butt, who is also the Chairperson of the Women Protection Authority (WPA).
“Hina was one of the few people who has been involved with this Bill since the beginning, and as she became WPA Chairperson in 2024, she gained an official position to push it forward,” says Hassan. He added that the Prosecutor General of Punjab, Farhad Ali Shah had also carefully vetted the Bill and had made minor changes accordingly.
It was also Hina Butt who submitted the Bill in the Assembly this morning, sending the bill for review. It is expected that the Standing Committee will present its report on the bill after a couple of months.
“The aim of the bill is to regulate the sale and purchase of acid to prevent acid attacks,” specified Hina Butt while speaking to Voicepk. “My formal efforts for the protection of women helped this Bill come about as we are actively working to create a safe society for women. Once the Bill is approved it will come into force immediately in the entire Punjab.”
Situation & Contents of the Bill
Acid and other corrosive substances are easily available in the Province of the Punjab. Cotton, rice and wheat growers in different parts of the Province use it for seed sterilization. Washroom cleaners contain acid as their major ingredient. Some of this easily available acid ends up with persons having criminal intent and they use it to attack other individuals. Of all the incidents of acid attacks in Pakistan, 85 percent are reported from Punjab. The investigation and trial of these cases suggest that the easy availability of acid is one of the major causes of high percentage of acid attacks in Punjab.
At present the sale of acid and other corrosive substances is regulated under the Poisons Act, 1919. This Act is a Federal law and extends to whole of Pakistan but Provincial Governments have been empowered to regulate the sale and importation of poisons, including acids. The penalty for violation of provisions of this Act include imprisonment from three months to one year and fine of Rs 1000/-. But these penalties relate only to sale of poisons only, not purchase or misuse of poisons. This shows that the penalty and fine are insufficient, do not serve as deterrence and the law is irrelevant to the requirements of the present-day situation.
In the Bill, there is also an increase in punishment while the District Government will monitor who sells acid and what SOPs are followed.
Under the Bill, it will be mandatory for traders to obtain a permit from the licensing authority for the sale and purchase of acid. The Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district will perform the duties of the licensing authority. The validity of the license will be two years, after which it will be mandatory to renew it. In case of any legal violation, the competent authority has the power to cancel the license. Those who do not obtain a license within 120 days of the implementation of the law will have to face heavy fines and punishment. People below the age of 18 will be banned from buying and selling acid. As for those who are involved in the illegal sale of acid or any other corrosive substance their businesses will be sealed with a fine of at least 200,000 and maximum 1000,000.
“We are very positive about the impact of this law,” said Hina Butt. “It will prove to be a significant step towards the protection of women.”
History
The Acid Control Bill was first introduced in January 2021 and tabled in the Punjab Provincial Assembly. Following a discussion on the assembly floor, the bill was referred to the Steering Committee on Human Rights for further review and consultation with the Home Department and other relevant bodies. Over a period of nine months, the Initiatives for Sustainable Development (IFSD) actively monitored the process, working diligently to push the bill towards cabinet approval.
On March 7, 2022, the Punjab cabinet approved the bill, agreeing to present it as a government bill due to its financial implications. Unfortunately, before the bill could progress further, the government dissolved, derailing the initiative. Despite this setback, IFSD remained resolute. Leveraging its strong connections with government departments, the team continued to advocate for legislation to regulate the sale and purchase of acid. IFSD also maintained public awareness on the issue of acid attacks, using print, electronic, and social media to drive the campaign forward.
In 2024, IFSD launched a renewed advocacy campaign for Acid Control legislation. Thanks to the support of the Punjab Women Protection Authority, IFSD successfully reintroduced the Acid Control Bill. On September 4, 2024, Ms. Hina Pervaiz Butt, Member of the Provincial Assembly and Chairperson of the Punjab Women Protection Authority, submitted the bill to the Secretary of the Punjab Assembly under the special direction of the Chief Minister of Punjab. The government has shown full support for the bill, which is set to be introduced as part of the upcoming Punjab Assembly session.
The Initiatives for Sustainable Development (IFSD) remains fully committed to ending acid attacks on women and girls in Punjab. This mission has been made possible through the generous and ongoing support of the Asia Foundation.