Pakistani Rape victim to set up school

Gulf News Online ^ | July 06 2002

[knighthawk]

Mukhtaran Bibi, the young woman who was victim of the gang-rape following the verdict of a 'jirga' of village council in Meerwala near Muzzafargarh now hopes to devote her life to setting up a school for girls in her area.

Speaking for the first time to some reporters, Mukhtaran, herself an illiterate, said that she had received a cheque for Rs500,000 sent to her as 'compensation' by the president of Pakistan and she intended to use this many to better the future of girls in her area.

The cheque was given to Mukhtaran Bibi by Minister Dr Attiya Inayatullah who visited the family on Thursday. President Pervez Musharraf is scheduled to meet Mukhtaran Bibi today, when he will travel from Lahore to Meerwala.

Dr Inayatullah reported that the president was "completely horrified" by the incident and the suffering inflicted on the woman.

At least two ministers from Punjab have already visited Meerwala on the orders of the Punjab governor.

Mukhtaran Bibi stated yesterday that she would "ask the president for justice" because if the men who raped her were not punished, she would "be forced to consider suicide".

It may be noted that a 'jirga' ordered Mukhtaran Bibi be raped by four members of the Mastoi tribe as apparent punishment for the actions of her brother.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court, taking a suo moto notice of the incident, also began hearing the case. Senior Punjab police officials, appearing before the court, told the chief justice of Pakistan that the case had been brought to the notice of the police by the victim's family only a week after it took place, and a case had been registered.

Human Rights activists, including prominent lawyer Hina Jilani, maintain that according to their information, police refused to file the FIR (first inquiry report) against the rapists immediately after the incident, when a complaint was made by the victim's father, Ghulam Fareed.

A large number of the activists were present in the court yesterday. Mukhtaran Bibi, who is likely to appear in court, has said the publicity concerning the case had "caused me great shame and anguish."

She said that life had become unbearable for her, but she hoped that becoming involved in "setting up a small school for little girls" would create some purpose of living.

According to social tradition, Mukhtaran Bibi is unlikely to be taken as a wife because of the stigma attached to rape. Due to this, many cases are never reported by the families of victims.

However, Mukhtaran Bibi's father has said he hopes some "well meaning" man who has heard of his daughter's plight, may come forward and marry her.

Some social activists in the area are already said to be "looking into this possibility."

Mukhtaran Bibi has also said she believes that "there should be centres where women like me can turn for justice and understanding." District and police officials in the area have already been suspended while show-cause notices have been served on others.

Our Islamabad Correspondent adds: The Pakistan Supreme Court yesterday admonished the police after being told that the four men who raped the woman were still at large two weeks after the gruesome incident.

Top police officials from Punjab province, where the alleged gang-rape took place on June 22, appeared before a three-judge bench of the court as it opened a hearing in Lahore.

Chief Justice Sheikh Riaz Ahmed deplored the police negligence in arresting the accused and directed the officials present a progress report to the court at its next hearing in Islamabad on June 11.

[knighthawk]

Ping

[AppyPappy]

Prediction: Some Muslims are going to complain that she is not a good role model because she isn't virgin.

[cardinal4]

Prediction: Some Muslims are going to complain that she is not a good role model because she isn't virgin.

Yep, in a religion where women are treated as chatel, she is used or damaged goods. Muslims are barbarians. I dont care if I get flamed for the generalization.

[Free the USA]

Index Bump

[EggsAckley]

No flaming here. Barbarians is a polite term for them.

[cardinal4]

I know not all of them are barbarians,but anyone who adheres to a culture firmly rooted in the 12th century,is beyond backward. The subjugation of women is just one of the many reprehensible practices that the Islamists adhere to,glorify,enforce,and revel in. Just my opinion, but it seems to becoming more common. I used to live in the Middle East back in 1980. I knew back then this faith called Islam was trouble.

[Savage Beast]

Mukhtaran Bibi...said the publicity concerning the case had "caused me great shame and anguish."

Her feelings are understandable, but there is no reason why she should feel "shame". The dishonor is neither hers nor her family's. The profound dishonor is that of the Mastoi who committed this unspeakable act. They are the scum of the earth and deserve the contempt of history and the world. They have earned it.

And--any man who would refuse to marry a woman because she is a rape victim is also deserving of contempt.

[Ranger]

More power to her and her supporters. To those religious leaders who call rape justice they deserve criminal prosecution. To those who stood idly by, condoning it by their inaction, they deserve the public shaming that world scrutiny brings. The media and the human rights groups have done a good deed here. I hope similar attention can be focused on slavery in the Sudan.

[neutrino]

Dr Inayatullah reported that the president was "completely horrified" by the incident and the suffering inflicted on the woman.

Yeah, sure. What he's really horrified by is the news - if the woman had quietly committed suicide, then he could go on his happy moslem way (i.e., raping, killing, and stealing).

The whole stinking village was in on the deal, not just the devout moslems rapists.

[Jhoffa_]

This is great..

Thrumph through adversity never ceases to amaze me.

[Jhoffa_]

LOL!

[valkyrieanne]

Why would she *want* to be married in a society like that? Better she remain single and sleep in a corner of the school house than endure what passes for "marriage" in a traditional Islamic-law country.

[valkyrieanne]

I agree with you entirely. Let's pray for her.

[facedown]

...Mukhtaran, herself an illiterate, said that she had received a cheque for Rs500,000 sent to her as 'compensation' by the president of Pakistan...

Yeah but that's about $1.50 US!

[mware]

$1.00 USD = .017 Pakistan Rs.

[mware]

Mukhtaran Bibi stated yesterday that she would "ask the president for justice" because if the men who raped her were not punished, she would "be forced to consider suicide".

What a sick, sick, culture.

[COBOL2Java]

It may be noted that a 'jirga' ordered Mukhtaran Bibi be raped by four members of the Mastoi tribe as apparent punishment for the actions of her brother.

And this is the culture the Islamists desire to spread across the entire world, the world that Osama dreamt of as he snuggled close to his goat.

[facedown]

$1.00 USD = .017 Pakistan Rs.

Ummm...actually its 0.017 USD = 1 rupee SOURCE. In any event it was just a joke...

[mware]

actually its 0.017 USD = 1 rupee

I stand corrected.

It is still one damn sick culture though

[facedown]

It is still one damn sick culture though.

Roger that!

[miss marmelstein]

I don't know but it seems to me that the solution to this awful situation is not an arranged marriage. What that young girl needs is rest and recuperation. What that young girl needs is a one way ticket to the West.

[jackbill]

Is rape a crime in Pakistan? Are those four rapists going to walk?

[Registered]

Abdul Khaliq, left, main suspect in the gang rape case was brought to police station, Saturday 6, 2002 in Muzaffargarh, near Multan, Pakistan. Khaliq, one of four men suspected of gang-raping a teenage girl as part of a tribal punishment in a remote eastern Pakistan village, was arrested Friday. (AP Photo/Khalid Tanveer) - Jul 06 12:29 PM ET

A Pakistani teenage girl (L) who was ordered to be gang-raped by tribal village elders, sits with her father during a news conference in Muzzafarghar near Multan July 4, 2002. Pakistan's Supreme Court expressed outrage on Wednesday at reports that a traditional village jury in Punjab province ordered the gang-rape of a teenage girl and summoned local officials to explain the affair. Local newspapers said the village jury, or panchayat, ordered the gang-rape and four men raped the girl inside a farmhouse and forced her to walk home naked on June 22 as punishment for an alleged love affair between the girl's brother Abdul Shakoor and a girl from a high-caste tribe. REUTERS/Asim Tanveer
- Jul 04 2:43 PM ET

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A Pakistani teenage girl (L) who was ordered to be gang-raped by tribal village elders, sits with her mother inside her home at Meerwala Jatoi village near Multan July 3, 2002. Pakistan's Supreme Court expressed outrage on Wednesday at reports that a traditional village jury in Punjab province ordered the gang-rape of a teenage girl and summoned local officials to explain the affair. Local newspapers said the village jury, or panchayat, ordered the gang-rape on June 22 as punishment for an alleged love affair between the girl's brother Abdul Shakoor and a girl from a high-caste tribe. REUTERS/Asim Tanveer
- Jul 04 6:45 AM ET

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A Pakistani teenage girl (L) who was ordered to be gang-raped by tribal village elders, walks with Pakistani Minister for Women Attiya Anaytullah (2nd L), her mother (3rd L) and brother Abdul Shakoor (R) to a news conference in Muzzafarghar near Multan July 4, 2002. Pakistan's Supreme Court expressed outrage on Wednesday at reports that a traditional village jury in Punjab province ordered the gang-rape of a teenage girl and summoned local officials to explain the affair. Local newspapers said the village jury, or panchayat, ordered the gang-rape and four men raped the girl inside a farmhouse and forced her to walk home naked on June 22 as punishment for an alleged love affair between the girl's brother Abdul Shakoor and a girl from a high-caste tribe. REUTERS/Asim Tanveer
- Jul 04 2:08 AM ET

---

An alleged rape victim, left, sits with her mother Allah Bachai in her house, Tuesday, July 2, 2002 in the village of Meerwala in southern Punjab province in Pakistan. A Pakistani tribal council ordered the 18-year-old girl gang-raped by four men to punish her family after her brother was seen walking with a girl from a higher class tribe, police said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Khalid Tanveer) - Jul 03 10:58 AM ET

A Pakistani teenage girl (R) who was ordered to be gang-raped by tribal village elders, sits with Pakistani Women Affairs Minister Attiya Anaytullah during a news conference in Muzzafarghar near Multan July 4, 2002. Pakistan's Supreme Court expressed outrage on Wednesday at reports that a traditional village jury in Punjab province ordered the gang-rape of a teenage girl and summoned local officials to explain the affair. Local newspapers said the village jury, or panchayat, ordered the gang-rape and four men raped the girl inside a farmhouse and forced her to walk home naked on June 22 as punishment for an alleged love affair between the girl's brother Abdul Shakoor and a girl from a high-caste tribe. REUTERS/Asim Tanveer
- Jul 04 2:09 AM ET

Pakistani police Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Muhammad Iqbal (C) in police custody at Muzzaffargarh police station on July 6, 2002. Pakistani police said on Saturday they had arrested one their own officers for failing to prevent a woman from being gang-raped by four men on order of tribal village elder. Pakistan's Supreme Court expressed outrage on Wednesday at reports that a traditional village jury in Punjab province ordered the gang-rape of a teenage girl and summoned local officials to explain the affair. Local newspapers said the village jury, or panchayat, ordered the gang-rape and four men rape the girl inside a farmhouse and force her to walk home naked on June 22 as punishment for an alleged love affair between the girl's brother Abdul Shakoor and a girl from a higher-caste tribe. REUTERS/Asim Tanveer

[Savage Beast]

"What that young girl needs is a one way ticket to the West."

I'm with you, Marm. But only if she denounces Islam and converts to another religion--any other religion. Bring her here. Enroll her in a Catholic school. (I'm not Catholic, by the way.)

But NO MORE MUSLIM IMMIGRANTS!!!!!

[knighthawk]

One is already arrested:

One arrested in Pakistan gang rape

I bet they will be punished because the whole world is watching in shock. Normaly the woman who is raped again at the police station and/or thrown into jail and/or stoned to death.