Katie Piper's surgeon and his mission to save the acid attack victims who have been 'burned alive'
- Every year in Pakistan, over 100 people - most of them women - are known to be victimised by brutal acid attacks, but many cases go unreported
- Zakia, 39, attacked by her husband for divorcing him and left side of face
- Rukhsana, 23, set alight by her husband and in-laws in her home
By JILL REILLY
ry acid burnt away her nose,eye and cheek.
It took just a second for her husband to throw the fluid in her face and destroy her life forever.
After seven years of abuse, she had finally summoned up the courage to divorce him and he punished the mother of his children by attacking her outside the courthouse.
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Changed forever: The left side of Zakia's face is completely missing - corrosive battery acid burnt away her nose, eye and cheek
Over time, the scar tissue is becoming more uncomfortable through tightening, pulling against her mouth and making it difficult for her to eat or drink and even smile at her children.
Most of the time the 39-year-old is too afraid to leave the house, and when she does she wears an black niqab and sunglasses.
Zakia is one of the women featured in Saving Face, which is aired tomorrow night on Channel 4.
The Oscar -wining documentary chronicles the journey of pioneering British plastic surgeon Dr Mohammad Jawad as he goes back to Pakistan, to help the recovery of acid-attack victims.
With little or no access to reconstructive surgery, survivors are physically and emotionally scarred.
Scarred: Zainub, another victim of the acid attack. With little or no access to reconstructive surgery, survivors are physically and emotionally scarred
ACID ATTACKS: A GLOBAL ISSUE
The Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) estimates there are approximately 1,500 acid attacks a year globally.
Acid violence is a worldwide phenomenon that is not restricted to a particular race, religion or geographical location.
It occurs in many countries in South-East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, the West Indies and the Middle East, and there is anecdotal evidence of attacks in other regions.
In many countries acid attacks constitute a hidden form of violence against women and children that often goes unreported, and the true number of horrific attacks taking place has only come to light after in-depth research.
Source: Acid Survivors Trust International
Every year in Pakistan, over 100 people - most of them women - are known to be victimised by brutal acid attacks, while numerous other cases go unreported.
The availability of acid for use in the cotton industry had led to assaults often linked to domestic violence or revenge attacks by rejected men.
Dr Jawad is the surgeon responsible for treating British acid-attack victim Katie Piper, who now credits him as her 'hero.'
He began travelling back to his birthplace every three months and holding free clinics -funded by charities including Islamic Help - to perform life-changing surgery.
In most cases, there is only so much Dr Jawad can do to restore an acid-scarred face.
'We can't be God and re-create all you've lost,' he says.
Another woman featured in the 40-minute film is 23-year-old mother Rukhsana.
Her husband threw acid on her and then her sister-in-law poured petrol over her.
Much needed help: Zakia is one of the women in the Oscar-winning film Saving Face which chronicles the journey of pioneering British plastic surgeon Dr Mohammad Jawad
Attacked: 23-year-old mother Rukhsana - her husband threw acid on her. Then her sister-in-law poured petrol over her. Finally her mother-in-law took a match and set her on fire
Finally her mother-in-law took a match and set her on fire, leaving her to writhe in agony on the floor of her home.
Her 'crime' was daring to leave the family home with her children and then returning.
Despite the attack, Rukhsana remains in her in-laws' home, hoping that one day she will be reunited with her daughter, who is kept from her part of the house by a brick wall.
In the film she shows the crew the room where she was attacked and says 'This is where they burned me alive. My life was destroyed in this room.'
Many reported assailants, typically a husband or someone else close to the victim, receive minimal punishment from the stat, but cases being brought to court are rare.
Conviction: Many reported assailants, typically a husband or someone else close to the victim, receive minimal punishment from the state
Vital help: British plastic surgeon Dr Mohammad Jawad as he goes back to Pakistan to help the recovery of acid-attack victims
Zakia's husband, Pervez, denies he threw battery acid in his wife's face, but admit his 'dignity' was threatened when she tried to divorce him.
As he awaits trial, he has threatened to harm her again if he's found innocent.
As Zakia is bravely fighting for her husband to be brought to justice, Dr Jawad is working to alleviate the pain and restore functioning and features to her face.
There is a set back when he uncovers the place where her right eye had been and finds the socket incapable of even holding a glass eye.
Journey: Dr Jawad is the surgeon responsible for treating British acid-attack victim Katie Piper, who now credits him as her 'hero'
But he manages to replace some of the scar tissue with a recently developed artificial skin.
The Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) estimates there are approximately 1,500 acid attacks a year globally.
The charity states acid violence is a worldwide phenomenon that is not restricted to a particular race, religion or geographical location.
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