Masarrat Misbah’s hard work and dedication have paid off. The Sindh Cabinet has approved the Sindh Regulation for Storage, Sale and Purchase of Acid Rules, 2022.
The Depilex Smileagain Foundation has highlighted the cons of unregulated sales and how acid has ruined the lives of thousands of women, children, and even men in the country.
The NGO filed a Constitutional Petition before the High Court of Sindh, through its counsel Mr. Rashid Mahar, Barrister Vishal Shamsi and Ms. Anushka Khan.
Headed by Ms. Masarrat Misbah, a distinguished cosmetologist and philanthropist of Pakistan, Depliex Smileagain Foundation brought to the attention of a division bench of the High Court of Sindh comprising of the Honorable Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Ahmed Ali Sheikh and Mr. Justice Yousuf Ali Sayeed, who sought reports from the Secretary to the Government of Sindh on any existing rules in relation to the sale, storage and purchase of acid.
The government then had consecutive meetings with different departments for determining if the rules on the sale, storage, and purchase of acid existed, and it transpired that the regulations under the Poisons Act of 1919 had not yet been framed.
The Home Department, therefore formulated the rules and the Honorable Chief Minister of Sindh approved them and placed them in front of the Provincial Cabinet for approval. The Cabinet also approved the rules to regulate and prevent wide access to acid.
Reportedly, the initial Poisons Act of 1919, was designed to prevent the crime of throwing acid on people, by regulating of the sale of acid. The Rules provide a license requirement for specified persons to sell, store or purchase acid, and make it mandatory for the license holder to maintain a register recording: (i) the date of sale, (ii) the name and address of the purchaser along with a copy of his CNIC, (iii) the name and quantity of acid sold, (iv) the purpose of the purchase, and (v) the signature of the purchaser.
We are extremely proud of this commendable achievement put in motion by Ms. Masarrat Misbah and her team. We hope that this action will help prevent acid incidents and will help save many lives.
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