The stench of melted flesh fills Lahore’s Mayo Hospital burns ward.
New arrival Ishrat Abdullah, 26, lies in unspeakable pain after her husband threw sulphuric acid over the mother-of-four during one of his routine fits of violence.
“I ask God for forgiveness. This is all my fault,” Mrs Abdullah whispers, barely able to push the words past her scarred lips.
Burns cover more than 30 per cent of her body, leaving her face, chest and arms a blend of pink, brown and black scarring.
The number of acid attacks on woman in Pakistan has increased, with nearly 400 annually, according to the Pakistan Human Rights Commission’s latest report.
Mrs Abdullah’s family is unable to afford fresh bandages and painkillers, and her clothes have begun to stick to her burnt flesh. Her mother-in-law stands close by and berates her for “causing such a fuss” and failing to provide a son.
“My husband’s family mock me and make fun of me,” Mrs Abdullah said. “His parents used to put a lot of pressure on him (to find work and produce a son) and he would take it out on me.”
Attacks are most common in rural areas, often the result of infertility, rejected marriage proposals, suspicion of illicit relations or in-law problems.
Police were the biggest obstacle victims faced when seeking justice, Farhat Rehman, of Lahore’s Legal Aid Centre, said. “Since I started working with acid burn cases in 2002, the police would always deny that it ever happened,” Dr Rehman said.
“Police discourage the victim’s family from seeking justice by saying legal expenses are too high and they won’t get justice anyway, so they should just let it be.” And often the suspect’s families were influential and had police protection.
Fighting back tears, Mrs Abdullah’s father, Haji Muneer Bhatti, is aware that justice for his only daughter is unlikely.
“Justice is impossible, but we’re going to try anyway,” he said.
“Corruption will prevent my daughter from getting justice. You can buy a judge and you can buy the police.”
The legal centre has been working to encourage greater government involvement in seeking prosecutions and federal law reforms.
But bids to treat acid attacks as attempted murder and placing restrictions on sulphuric acid sales have proved fruitless.