NEW YORK, :Pakistan’s Consul General Ayesha Ali has offered support and assistance to the family of Nafia Ikram, the 21-year-old student, who was badly scarred when an unidentified man threw acid at her face near her home in Long Island, a New York City’s suburb, as police hunts for the attacker.
Ayesha Ali told APP on Friday that she spoke to Shaikh Ikram, the victim’s father to sympathize with him and assured him of the consulate help.
“He was deeply appreciate of our reach out,” she added.
Meanwhile, Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder had stern warning for the assailant, who is on the run.
“My advice is to surrender yourself now because we’re gonna get you, we’re coming for you,” he said Thursday, as the reward for information leading to arrest was doubled— from $10,000 to $20,000.
Investigators with County’s Police Department said the attacker seen in surveillance video is a thin man, standing about 6 feet 2 inches tall. They said he fled in a red car.
Nafiah, a pre-med Pakistani-American student at Hofstra University, told reporters Thursday that she noticed the suspect as soon as she got home that night on March 17. She says right away that something didn’t feel right.
“He ran up behind me and threw it in my face,” she said. “I can’t understand what level of hatred, or jealousy, or whatever provoked this person to do this to me.”
Investigators are still testing the liquid to determine what it was, the reports said. But whatever it was, it turned Nafiah’s face ash gray, making her feel like her face was on fire. It melted through her jacket and burned her arms.
For weeks doctors thought Nafiah would be blind, according to reports. Her eyesight has since improved, but it’s unclear if she will ever regain her full vision.
Congress member and former Nassau County District Attorney, Kathleen Rice, has called on the New York state’s Hate Crimes Task Force to assist Nassau County police.
“We have no evidence at this time to say it was a hate crime,” Ryder said. “We have no evidence at this time to say it was not a hate crime. We treat our victims the same.”
Nafiah’s father, Shaikh Ikram, explained the extent of her injuries, from which she is still recovering.
“Her eyes is very damaged and her face – maybe we are hoping it will heal, but it’s going to take a long time. She still cannot eat. She’s having difficulty eating even soft foods,” he said. “She’s very scared,” he added.
Meanwhile, a fund created to meet Nafiah’s medical costs has already raised over $370,000, with over 9,000 donors as of Thursday.
Shaikh Ikram said the family is thankful for all those who donated and showed support. “I don’t know how to thank them. They’re wonderful,” he said.
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