GUJRAT - Three girl students, including two sisters, of Gujrat University suffered burn injuries on Thursday when they were attacked with acid by three people riding two motorbikes.

The girls were standing at a bus stop in Dang area of Gujrat when accused threw acid on them causing burn injuries.

The passersby arrested one of the three attackers and handed him over to the police. The accused in police custody was identified as Owais while other two attackers managed to escape.

The victims identified as Aasia, Saira and Huma were rushed to Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital where they were under treatment at the burn unit.

One of the victims is said to have suffered 28 percent physical damage, hospital officials said, adding the other two girls sustained minor burn injuries on their arms.

According to police, maternal uncle of the two sisters, Aasia and Saira, was involved in the attack. One of the girls had refused a marriage proposal which was the reason behind the attack, the police said.

However, some reports said that attack was a result of personal enmity. Sources revealed that Qadeer attacked his sister’s daughters as his sister had run away from their house years ago and got married.

“The primary suspect is the uncle of the two sisters who were attacked. Another accused is identified as the uncle’s friend,” Dang police station SHO Ameer Abbas was quoted as saying in the report.

The SHO’s statements were seconded by one of the victims, it added.

The girls’ brother said that their uncle has been a police constable. But he didn’t know why he attacked his sisters.

A search for the remaining two suspects was underway. A case has been registered and police are conducting operations to arrest Qadeer and Danish.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, taking notice of the incident, directed the district police officer to submit a report into the matter.

The CM ordered authorities concerned to take immediate action against the men involved in the case. He issued directions for provision of best medical facilities to the survivors of the attack.

Inspector general of Punjab police also sought a report from district police officer (DPO) Gujrat within two days and ordered arrest of the two absconders.

According to a Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) report, 143 women were victims of acid attack or were set on fire in Pakistan last year.