Islamabad, Apr 19 (IANS): Three female students, including two sisters, suffered burns in an acid attack carried out by the sisters' uncle for rejecting a marriage proposal in Pakistan's Gujrat city on Thursday morning.

The girls -- students of the University of Gujrat -- were at a bus stop in Dang district when three men including the sisters' uncle approached on a motorcycle and threw acid on them, Dawn reported.

The victims suffered burns on their faces and were undergoing treatment at a hospital.

Dang police station SHO Ameer Abbas told the daily that the primary suspect was the uncle of the two sisters while another accused was identified as the uncle's friend. They both managed to escape while the third suspect was arrested.

One of the girls had refused a marriage proposal which was the reason behind the attack, said police.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Inspector General of Police Arif Nawaz asked for a detailed report on the incident and directed the police to arrest the suspects within 24 hours.

According to a report released by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in 2018, 143 women were attacked with acid or were set on fire in Pakistan in 2017.