A VILLAGE chief and four other men sentenced to death for the gang rape of a teacher were cleared on appeal yesterday in a test case that undermines government claims of bringing an end to “honour” attacks and killings.

Human rights groups expressed outrage at the verdict, while the victim, who won international acclaim for her decision to stand up to tribal chiefs at the initial trial, vowed to pursue her case further.

Mukhtaran Mai was raped by four men in June 2002 in Meerwala village, southern Punjab, on the orders of the village council after her brother allegedly had sex with a woman from a rival tribe.

One of the men put a gun to her head while the others tore off her clothes and raped her. She was later made to walk naked before more than 500 tribesmen, who booed and jeered at her. Her father, a poor farmworker, and an uncle heard her cries but were unable to help in the presence of so many armed and hostile tribesmen.

Popular protest after the attack led to a government crackdown on crimes against women and President Musharraf ordered that the accused be tried by special court.

The court sentenced six men, including Faiz Mastoi, the chief of the village council, to death in 2002. But a two-judge High Court bench overturned the sentences yesterday, citing a lack of evidence.

Mastoi and four others were ordered to be released and the sixth man’s death sentence was reduced to life in prison. The judges ruled that there were contradictions in statements of witnesses and the prosecution case.

Hina Jilani, a human rights lawyer, criticised the ruling, saying there should have been a retrial. “It was much more desirable to ensure that justice is done to the victim and the impunity that prevails in the country with regard to how gang rape cases are dealt with,” she said.

Human rights activists said that the High Court ruling undermined their campaign against rape and other crimes against women. They have been urging the Government for several years to push through legislation that would strip tribal councils of their power to mete out punishments.

Ms Mai, who taught Koranic studies to girls in the village, broke into tears upon hearing the ruling and said her life now had no purpose. But she vowed to get justice. “I will go to appeal. I will go anywhere, wherever is necessary . . . to get my right,” she said.

She added that she feared that after being freed the tribesmen would try to take revenge on her and her family.

Ms Mai, who is now 29 and still lives in the village with her family, pursued the original case through the courts despite threats from the rival tribesmen and days of intense cross-examination by the defence. On one occasion she wept as the defence lawyer sought intimate details of the rape. She went on to become a rights campaigner and has been honoured by Pakistani and international human rights groups for her courage.

She built two schools in her village with the £6,000 compensation payment she received from the Government. “Education will play a very, very important role in changing the minds of men. Without these schools, my life would be nothing,” she said in an interview last year.

• Peshawar: Pakistan has offered to buy weapons at market price from tribesmen near the Afghan border where troops are hunting for al-Qaeda militants, an official said. The Government wants to purchase arms including anti-aircraft guns, missiles, mortars, rocket launchers, landmines and AK47 Kalashnikov assault rifles and decommission them to increase security in the area, which was flooded with heavy weapons during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. (AFP)

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