Court advises action against judge in Mukhtaran Mai case

The Multan Division Bench of Lahore High Court yesterday released details of the judgment pronounced on March 3 in the Mukhtaran Mai case acquitting five of the men convicted of raping her.

It advised action against then judge of Dera Ghazi Khan's Anti-terrorist special court, who had awarded the death sentence to the accused in the case.

The Division Bench comprising Justice M.A. Shahid Siddiqui and Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry, in their 41-page judgment, declared that the special court had sentenced two accused Faiz Mohammad and Ramzan Pachar to death despite there being no evidence against them.

The Bench has further said in its judgment that the statements of prosecution witnesses given at different stages of investigations were contradictory, the police did not provide copies of recorded statements to the accused, while a blank space was left on the pages of the statements presented in the trial court.

Hearsay

The Bench further said that the petitioners' holding of a panchayat [village court] and its decision of allowing gang rape appear to be hearsay and it could not be accepted as evidence.

The High Court decreed that the prosecution had failed to prove the allegation of gang rape against three other accused Ghulam Farid, Allah Ditta and Fayyaz.

The acquittal of five men by the Lahore High Court has created a flurry in the country, with Mukhtaran Mai now preparing to take the case to the Supreme Court.

Previously, too, superior courts have frequently found major flaws in verdicts passed by Anti-Terrorism courts.

The courts have frequently left open major loopholes in cases.

The case seems set to land before the Supreme Court because of its high profile.

Talking to Gulf News‚ yesterday, Mukhtaran Mai, speaking from Meerwala, said, "I have no idea of legalities. But I will continue my attempts to get justice at all costs, and I am confident I will get it."