MULTAN, Sept 1: The government has beefed up security for the Meerwala gang-rape victim, Mukhtaran Mai, after the Dera Ghazi Khan anti-terrorism court announced capital punishment to her tormentors and the two Panchayat members.
Soon after the announcement of the verdict on Sunday morning, Jatoi SDPO Saeed Awan along with a police contingent cordoned the ‘basti’ of Mukhtaran in Mauza Meerwala. The victim herself learnt about the verdict at 6am through a radio news bulletin on Sunday.
It is learnt that Jatoi additional SHO Shabbir Khitran and a number of police personnel remained vigilant at the police post, set up near the house of Mukhtaran, under the orders of the Punjab governor.
Reportedly, the police provided immediate security cover to the victim’s elder brother Hazoor Bakhsh and Maulvi Abdul Razaaq (PW11) as the ATC judge, Zulfiqar Ali Malik, announced the sentence. Hazoor Bakhsh and Razzaq were present outside the court at the time when the judgment was announced.
They were taken to the Dera Ghazi Khan police line and were asked by the authorities to spend the night there. In the morning, Dera police DIG Asif Nawaz and Muzaffargarh DCO Shahid Saleem met the guests at Dera police lines and assured them security to life and property.
The officials reportedly offered the Mukhtaran family an alternative residence other than Meerwala for security point of view. It is learnt that the family has accepted the offer provided the arrangement is on permanent basis. Maulvi Razzaq and Hazoor Bakhsh were shifted to Meerwala at 12 noon on Sunday in police escort.
Reports reaching here revealed that police personnel posted at the house of the victim were not allowing any person, including women, to visit her after having a thorough identification of them (visitors) through any of her family member.
When contacted, Maulvi Abdul Razzaq said though there was no immediate threat from the Mastois but security of Mukhtaran and her family must be taken care of owing to the revengeful history of the Mastois in the area. He suggested that if the government was serious in providing security to the victim’s family then they (Mukhtaran Mai and family) be allotted a plot or a house at any other place other than Jatoi tehsil.
He expressed satisfaction over the court verdict saying “I wasn’t hoping that God might heard his plaint in this way.” It may be added here the he was the first person who publicly condemned the influential Mastois for their “Panchayat justice” during his Friday sermon on June 28 last at the Meerwala Jamia Masjid.
Hazoor Bakhsh said his sister had no words to thank the government which heard her cries for justice. “The government truely considered me as its honour and daughter,” he quoted Mukhtaran as saying after the verdict.
Meanwhile, the state-appointed special public prosecutor, Ramzan Khalid Joiya said that verdict would go a long way to check emergence of a parallel informal judicial system in the country. He said the role of Panchayats in resolving minor disputes was universal in the rural areas but they could not be allowed to start settling criminal offences.
Talking to newsmen at his Multan office, Mr Joyia refuted the claim of defence counsels that the court was under pressure to give certain judgment. He said there was no meddling by the government at any stage during the trial and judgment of the case. He hailed Muzafargarh police for arresting all the accused and submitting challan of the case within 18 days of the registration of the 0case on June 30.
SENTENCE: In its 69-page judgment, the court found Abdul Khaliq, Allah Ditta, Fayyaz Husain (rapists), Ghulam Farid (juror-rapist), Faiz Muhammad (chief juror), and Ramzan Pachaar (arbitrator) guilty of offences falling under 11, 10(4) sections of ordinance VII of 1979 besides 149, 109 of PPC and 21-I ATA-97 and section 6(1) (a) and (b) and sub-section 2(b) of ATA-97 and therefore were convicted under all these provisions of the law.
The judge observed that the action of the convicts was cruel which overawed and harassed the society at large and, therefore, they were not entitled to any leniency.
The court awarded capital punishment and life imprisonment (on two counts) besides 30 stripes and a fine of Rs 40,000 to each of the convicted persons. The chief juror and the arbitrator were convicted for abetting the crime. In case of default of the payment of fine, the convicts will have to undergo six months of additional imprisonment.
The court acquitted the eight other accused, giving them the benefit of doubt. However, special public prosecutor Ramzan Khalid Joiya has announced that he will ask the government to file appeal against acquittal of the eight.
The last sentence of the judgment reads that the verdict was announced in open court. However, the verdict was announced in-camera by the judge at 12.05am on Sunday.