Beneath a veil of a thousand scars,
The black charred skin, as poisonous as tar…
Between the raised blisters, the skin is sloughed …
The plight unbearable…
How tremendous an assault,
.. the disfigured eye is now a lunate …
Brows amorphous lashes diffused, and Pupils dilate.
The lips you see were once acquainted with smile,
How to pity a sight when these tremble with fright …..,
Scarf merely could curtain the stains,
the soul perhaps is perished with pain!
Quarter a pint of acid burnt my world,
my dreams, my aims lost their worth!
The body you see is an epitome of pain …
….soul shattered.What is your gain?
And as I strolled across the lane,
I convinced myself not to cry in vain …
I’m not an ordinary world of pride…
I developed this motivation with each passing stride.
And when I’m gone narrate with delight …
I looked the devil in his eyes,
…..because I will never be forgotten,
Forever I will fight.
According to a statistics, 80 percent of the victims of an acid attack are women and almost 70 percent of these are below the age of seventeen. Not surprisingly, the women are victimized by their own husbands and male members of her own family for the reasons such as domestic altercations to more serious issues like bringing dishonor to the family.
An acid attack victim finds herself badly disfigured, blind, deaf and disabled. Particularly in rural areas of Pakistan, the victimized woman can no longer work or study, not due to her disabilities, but because of the perceived colossal dishonor, she brings to her family’s dignity. And the question arises, ‘Why is the woman to be blamed ?’