Pakistan

Gang rape case: Govt promises security for Mukhtaran Mai

Sherry Rehman calls upon govt to file a review petition for Mai after the SC dismissed her appeal.

Zia Khan April 23, 2011

ISLAMABAD:

The government has promised security and legal assistance to gang rape victim Mukhtaran Mai who says her life is under threat after the Supreme Court dismissed her appeal and released five of the six accused in a 2002 case that attracted international attention.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik told the National Assembly on Friday that the federal government will ask Punjab authorities to deploy provincial police for the security of Mai at her remote village in Muzaffargarh district.

Malik said that he had been directed by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to provide legal assistance to Mai, who challenged taboos to fight a long and tiresome war in courts after she was gang raped on the orders of a village council or a punchayat.

The Supreme Court decision on Thursday received widespread criticism from within and outside Pakistan with rights bodies and activists calling it a verdict that would encourage sexual abuse of women in the country.

However, a three-member bench that acquitted most of accused cited lack of evidence for their decision. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Friday said that ‘weak prosecution made justice difficult’ in an apparent reference to the Mai’s case.

After Malik’s assurance to the house, Federal Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan also said that the government would support Mai if she wished to file a review petition against the verdict.

Both Rehman and Awan, however, did not clarify whether the government itself could file a review petition as demanded by a female parliamentarian from the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

MNA Sherry Rehman on a point of order said that Mukhtaran Mai was fighting for justice for the last nine years and only one of the accused was given life imprisonment while the rest were free to walk.

She called upon the government to file a review petition for Mai and provide her with security. After Thursday’s decision, Mai told BBC Urdu from her native village that she felt too tired to continue fighting and had lost faith in the justice system.

Meanwhile in the National Assembly, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Haider Abbas Rizvi said that the payment of compensation to Budha Khel and Bshandgan tribes for the construction Diamer-Bhasha Dam was not being distributed properly and equally.

He said that the prime minister during his expected visit to the area should look into the matter to avoid any injustice.

Former Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao also appealed the government to take pragmatic measures for maintaining law and order situation in Kurram agency.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2011.

COMMENTS (8)

SA | 13 years ago | Reply Provide her security when you failed to provice her justice... ha! What a joke!!

Hedgefunder | 13 years ago | Reply What security are you talking about ?? Please don't insult this woman any further, this is not politics!! so stop lying and accept the fact that you all have failed this woman, in a failed nation!!! Very sad!

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rameez | 13 years ago | Reply It hurts me to read about such cases to take place in Pakistan. Why doesn’t Pakistan show the real face of Islam in terms of its value to females. I think Pakistan need no modernise more if it is to compete with west nations and to develop. These people who ordered the rape on this poor women are not humans. They are still living in the dark ages and need to grow up. I think lack of education is the main factor in such areas. Government needs to do more in the order to tackle these uneducated people. But I guess the government is corrupt , and it only cares about itself rather then the people . How can Pakistani people vote for such headless movement and leaders , I think people are also blind too. P.S I m a British Pakistani

faraz | 13 years ago | Reply The court saw nothing wrong with jirgas and panchayats awarding 'rape sentence' to a women?

Ahmer Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.Mukhtara Mai's gang raped and other raped-related cases are definitely the most tragic cases of Pakistan and the rapists must be given death sentence without any flexibility,jeopardy and nepotism before the nation but what the keen interest and curiosity the govt and media are showing for Mukhtara Mai only the govt and media must show the same interest and curiosity for every raped woman,girl and child in Pakistan so that requirements of justice and equality could be fulfilled in the society because law is equal for every one and every one has same rights in the laws for equality and justice without any prejudicial attitude.

Arshad Jamal Butt | 13 years ago | Reply What Government did for Afia Sadiqqie? I think Govt. revived call from USA to give her security and legal assistance. That is Government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

John | 13 years ago | Reply Book those idiots directly at LHC for aiding and abetting rape by Abdul Khalif at LHC. SC agrees that much and criticizes the LHC, in their own legal term. Keep on challenging the SC verdict will get no where. Expressed my opinion on that in ZAB reference itself about the future cases, and here it is so soon. What next, Abdul Khalif defense urging the president for reference that his trial was not conducted properly due to publicity?

Billoo Bhaya | 13 years ago | Reply Wht kind of security is the Government talking about. They can't provide security to themselves when Governor Salman Taseer is gunned gown by their own. Security means putting rapists in jail and monitoring closely their relatives. Goberment of Pakistan is what it is, Gober.

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