Pakistani actress, 18, 'attacked with acid after rejecting her producer's marriage proposal'



Abandoned by the Pakistan government and ignored by NGOs, a talented young actor is fighting for her life at a government hospital in Peshawar.



Eighteen-year-old Bushra Waiz, a Pashto language singer and actor, had been enthralling audiences through her stage dramas from the tender age of 13.



Within a few years, her talent on stage and her ability to sing attracted a number of renowned industry figures. But all that changed on June 21 this year, when Bushra was attacked with acid - allegedly by one of her producers.



Brutal: Acid attack victim Bushra Waiz in hospital with her brother

The right side of her face was completely burnt and she also received severe burn injuries to her hands in the attack.



Bushra's family has alleged that she was attacked by producer Shaukat Khan, who was angry as she had rejected his marriage proposal.



According to her family members, Shaukat entered their home in Nowshera on June 21 when they were sleeping, poured a bottle of acid on Bushra's face, and fled.



While Shaukat is still at large, Bushra is caught between life and death in Peshawar's Lady Reading Hospital.



"Neither the government nor any NGO extended their support to us. The way she is being treated in the hospital, there are less chances of her recovering," a family member told Mail Today.



Sadly, Bushra's is not a rare case. According to data, in 2012 alone, around 150 attacks against women involving acid were reported. Most of the women were attacked only because they had rejected marriage proposals.



Apart from acid attacks, Pakistani women are also frequently set on fire, and the police normally refuse to register an FIR.



In 2011, Pakistan introduced the Acid Control and Acid Crime Bill that recommends a 14-year imprisonment and 1 million Pakistani rupees as a fine for acid attackers. Alas, the gruesome attacks continue unabated.



