Pakistan to provide security, assistance to Mukhtaran Mai
April 22nd, 2011 - 10:55 pm ICT by IANS
Islamabad, April 22 (IANS) The Pakistan government will provide security and assistance to Mukhtaran Mai who was gang-raped in an honour revenge in 2002, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said.
The Punjab Police will be responsible for her security, Malik told the National Assembly. The government will also help her in filing an appeal against the Supreme Court ruling, Dawn Friday quoted Malik as saying.
Malik said that he had been directed by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to provide security to Mukhtaran Mai.
Mukhtaran Mai became a symbol of the country’s oppressed women after her gang-rape on the orders of a village council in 2002.
An Anti-Terrorism Court, while acquitting eight of the 14 accused in the case, had awarded death sentence to the remaining six — of whom five were acquitted by the Lahore High Court which also reduced the death sentence of the sixth accused, Abdul Khalique, to life imprisonment.
A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court Thursday confirmed the Lahore court order.
Former Pakistani information minister Sherry Rehman said she was disappointed over the Supreme Court verdict.
Rehman urged the government to file a review petition and provide free legal aid to the victim, the Nation reported.
Mukhtaran Mai, who belongs to the Meerwala village of Muzaffargarh district, was gang-raped in an honour revenge on the orders of a panchayat of the powerful Mastoi Baloch clan. Mukhtaran Mai belongs to the Tatla clan.
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- Mukhtaran Mai verdict a disappointment: Sherry Rehman - Apr 22, 2011
- Pakistan's apex court acquits five in Mukhtaran Mai rape case - Apr 21, 2011
- Pak Supreme Court acquits five of six accused in Mukhtaran Mai gang rape case - Apr 21, 2011
- Pak Govt to provide security, legal aid to Mukhtaran Mai for case review - Apr 23, 2011
- Mukhtaran Mai rape verdict deeply disappointing: Pakistani daily - Apr 23, 2011
- Mukhtaran Mai gang rape: 13 released after acquittal - Apr 27, 2011
- Mukhtaran Mai fears being killed after Pak Supreme Court acquits rape accused - Apr 22, 2011
- Mukhtaran Mai abused her power: WikiLeaks - Jun 13, 2011
- Mukhtaran gangrape accused's acquittal seen as setback to women's rights in Pakistan - Apr 22, 2011
- Pak SC judge writes dissenting note in Mukhtaran Mai gangrape case - Apr 22, 2011
- Zardari directs Pak Punjab Govt. to provide speedy relief to Mukhtaran Mai - Feb 20, 2009
- Gang-rape victim Mukhtaran Mai weds police constable in her native village - Mar 16, 2009
- Law experts say Pak Interior Minister Malik could be arrested - May 17, 2010
- Decision on Khairlanji massacre convicts' appeals Tuesday - Jun 14, 2010
Tags: bench, death sentence, free legal aid, gang rape, gilani, honour, information minister, interior minister, lahore high court, life imprisonment, mastoi baloch, national assembly, pakistan government, panchayat, punjab police, rehman malik, security assistance, sherry rehman, supreme court ruling, supreme court verdict