Islamabad, Dec 26 (IANS): Two teenaged girls suffered horrific burns after a man threw acid at them in Pakistan's Karachi city.

Kamran threw acid at Zarin, 19, and Irum, 18, in Surjani area. The two teenagers were friends and their families had been former neighbours, Dawn reported.

Pakistani parliament's upper house, the Senate, Dec 12 unanimously passed two landmark bills meant to protect women from negative customs and traditions and seeking severe punishments for violators.

The bills, which have already been passed by the lower house, the National Assembly, were moved by Senator Nilofar Bakhtiar. These bills seek to amend the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedures, 1898.

The Anti-Women Practices bill, consisting of five clauses, seeks to penalise evils such as the so-called marriage with the holy Quran, forced marriage and depriving women from inheritance.

The other bill, that aims at preventing incidents of throwing acid at women, recommended that whoever hurt by corrosive substances shall be punished with imprisonment for life or imprisonment of either description which shall not be less than 14 years and a minimum fine of Rs. one million.