The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has condemned an attack on rights defender Mukhtaran Mai, on May 1 in Alipur, South Punjab, allegedly by the perpetrators connected to the jirga responsible for ordering her gang-rape in 2002.
Mukhtaran Mai is an open advocate of women’s rights in Pakistan. In 2002, she was the victim of a gang rape sanctioned by a tribal council as a form of ‘honour revenge’.
The HRCP urged the Punjab government to provide protection to the human rights activist and assure that her attackers are held accountable.
We strongly condemn the attack on human rights defender #MukhtaranMai in Alipur and are concerned by her allegation that the perpetrators may be connected to the jirga responsible for ordering her gang-rape in 2002. #stopviolenceagainstwomen pic.twitter.com/YCqs9sEq2Q
— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) May 4, 2023
Earlier, the human rights activist regretted a delay in the registration of the First Information Report (FIR) of the incident.
She also tweeted a picture of an application that she had written to DPO Muzaffargarh, requesting him to register the FIR.
According to the application, she was attacked when she was visiting her village in Alipur, South Punjab, along with her husband on May 1.
Request to DPO Muzaffargarh 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/tujhLWG9BL
— Mukhtar Mai (@MukhtarMai) May 2, 2023
After Mukhtaran Mai was subjected to gangrape in 2002, she spoke up about the incident and pursued it in a court, as opposed to local customs. On September 1, 2002, an anti-terrorism court had sentenced 6 men, including the 4 rapists, to death for rape. However, in 2005, the Lahore High Court had cited “insufficient evidence” and subsequently acquitted 5 of the 6 convicted rapists, while commuting the punishment of the sixth man to a life sentence. She filed an appeal in the Supreme Court and it acquitted the accused as well in 2011.
