8th grader from Laiyya, who was acid attacked by her teacher’s friend, tells her story

Naila Farhat was a 13-year-old 8th-grade student when she was acid attacked by her teacher’s friend. Surprisingly, her teacher was an accomplice in the act.

Why was Naila Farhat acid attacked?

While talking to a media outlet, young Naila stated:

My teacher’s friend threw acid on my face because I refused to marry him. My teacher was an accomplice in the act. 

Naila remembered:

I was coming back from school that day. My schoolteacher and his friend crossed my path and asked me to go along with them. When I refused, my teacher held me tight, and his friend threw acid in my face.

Naila continued to express her story by saying:

I loved studying and wanted to become a doctor, but I had to spend my childhood going from one hospital to another, in different cities, in the hopes of getting my burns treated. My family was by my side the entire time.

Explaining her struggles and journey, Naila said:

I was severely burnt, so all my efforts went in vain. I had given up all hopes by the time some representatives from the Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) knocked on my door in 2008. 

Talking about ASF, Naila stated:

ASF promised to get me top-notch treatment. With their help, my burns got relatively better. Later, I asked ASF if they can help me take my case to the High Court. 

What did the court do for Naila?

ASF took Naila’s appeal to the High Court. Naila’s attacker was sentenced to 12 years in prison and ordered to pay 10,000 euros in damages. However, he appealed to the High Court, which reduced the sentence by saying that the man could go free after paying a reduced amount of money. Disappointed with the High Court’s decision, Naila turned to the Supreme Court.

Naila’s appeal to the Supreme Court overturned the High Court’s decision within minutes, and the attacker was jailed again.

Naila concluded her story by saying: 

ASF agreed to take my case to court. Eventually, my case led to the creation of the Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention bill in Pakistan. This bill creation is a massive achievement for me because now I know people like my perpetrator would be held accountable for their actions. 

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