The Balochistan government has officially renamed a prominent road in Duki district in honor of Dr Mahnoor Nasir, a 29-year-old doctor who survived a severe acid attack in Quetta last June. This gesture recognizes her courage, resilience, and commitment to her medical profession.
Earlier, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti announced the decision to name a major road after Dr Mahnoor. The Local Government and Rural Development Department has now issued a formal notification to enforce this change. The notification states that the “Haji Amanullah Masjid Road,” located near Damani Chowk in Duki, will henceforth be known as “Dr Mahnoor Nasir Road, Duki,” effective immediately.
In a significant development, Chief Minister Bugti shared the notification on social media, praising Dr Mahnoor’s bravery as a source of pride for the daughters of Balochistan. He emphasized that recognizing and encouraging courageous and dedicated citizens is a governmental responsibility.
The renaming serves as a tribute to Dr Mahnoor following the harrowing acid attack she endured on June 7. While working at Quetta’s Civil Hospital, she was targeted by a hospital employee who threw acid on her outside the facility, causing severe burns to her face, chest, legs, and other parts of her body.
The suspected attacker, identified as Humayun Shah, was later killed in a police encounter while attempting to flee on a bus. The incident sparked widespread public outrage and renewed discussions on violence against women and the urgent need for stronger protections against acid attacks.
Dr Mahnoor’s case reignited calls for enhanced safety measures for women, particularly those vulnerable to harassment and violence in workplaces and public areas. Bugti highlighted her determination as an inspiring example for women in Balochistan and reiterated the importance of government support for such courageous individuals.
Meanwhile, the attack has also intensified demands for more stringent legal penalties against perpetrators of acid violence. Following the incident, a lawmaker introduced a bill in the National Assembly proposing amendments to the Pakistan Penal Code that would impose capital punishment as the maximum penalty for acid attacks.
Nawabzada Mir Jamal Khan Raisani submitted the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2026, suggesting revisions to Section 336-B of the Pakistan Penal Code. The bill argues that existing punishments, despite amendments made in 2011, have not sufficiently deterred acid attacks. It proposes maintaining current penalties while adding the death penalty as the highest punishment and establishing a minimum Rs1 million fine payable to victims.
This legislative move emerged amid nationwide outrage over Dr Mahnoor’s attack and a broader debate on legal and institutional reforms to combat gender-based violence.
The bill references observations by the Supreme Court of Pakistan about the profound and lifelong impact acid attacks have on survivors. It notes that these assaults result in permanent physical damage, psychological trauma, social exclusion, and financial difficulties. The legislation points out that acid attacks can be considered worse than murder in some respects, as victims endure ongoing suffering, unlike murder victims whose pain ends with death.
Thus, the government’s decision to honor Dr Mahnoor by renaming a road after her coincides with wider efforts to recognize survivors of violence and strengthen protections for women against such brutal attacks.
