Pakistan upholding its image in women's rights

Mukhtar Mai, the Pakistani woman who was gang-raped in a notorious case in 2002, has been placed on the Exit Control List, thus being prevented from visiting some Amnesty International event in Washington and thus tarnishing Pakistan's otherwise stellar image as a country where women's rights are upheld.

Gang rapes are fairly common in Pakistan. What makes her case notorious was that she was actually sentenced to being raped by the village council. (Sentenced by the village council - the story does not say whether any of the 14 rapists were members of the council. Another thing that makes it notorious is that she tried to bring the rapists to justice.

The crime that she was sentenced for was that her 12-year-old brother was seen walking with a girl from another, "better" tribe. The people of that tribe demanded that they should be allowed to rape her as a punishment. Raping the brother would have been more logical, but I guess they did not fancy him.

In the 3 years that have passed since the accused were arrested, released, rearrested, rereleased, etc. ad nauseum.

“We want her case to be processed and resolved first,” said Minister of State for Interior. Wonder if this means that if Pakistanis are generally not allowed to travel abroad while being a plaintiff in a criminal case.