VZCZCXRO6663
OO RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHIL #3376 1931341
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 121341Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4498
INFO RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 1973
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 9464
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 7389

S E C R E T ISLAMABAD 013376 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2016 
TAGS: KWMN PHUM PGOV PK

SUBJECT: MUKHTARAN MAI: ACCUSATIONS OF FAMILY MEMBERS 
ABUSING OF POWER 

Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, Derived from DSCG 05-01, d 
 
¶1. (S/NF) A range of credible NGO contacts have confirmed to  post serious problems within the local community being  instigated by Mukhtaran's family in her home district of  Mianwalli.  These six well-respected Pakistani NGOs,  including Strengthening Participatory Organizations, Pattan,  and Awaz Community Development, are all well-known to the  Embassy and have ongoing programs in Mukhtaran's district. 
These once-strong Mukhtaran supporters claim that, due to her  international celebrity and significantly increased  donor-provided resources, she and her family have become  significant power brokers in their local community.  Her  brother, Hazoor Bakhsh, has become involved in local politics on behalf of the family and is now accorded the same respect  as traditional tribal elders.  While the civil society community initially viewed Mukhtaran's increased involvement  in local affairs as a source for change, they are  increasingly concerned that she and her family are simply  replicating traditional abuses of power. 
 
¶2. (S/NF) On June 21, Mukhtaran's brother Hazoor Bakhsh  convened a panchayat (traditional court) to review the case  of a nine-year old girl XXXXXXXXXXXX who had been raped by three  local individuals.  According to civil society activists, Mai  had urged her brother to deal with the case through a  panchayat rather than the formal legal system, arguing that  the courts would not properly deal with the rapists.  At the  panchayat, Bakhsh utilized his position and authority to order that the fifteen year old sister of one of the rapists,  Faizan, be handed over in marriage to rape victim’s XXXXXXXXXXXX  father, Rasool Bakhsh, as compensation.  Rasool tortured  Faizan who was rescued by her father and brother one day  after her marriage. 
 
¶3. (S/NF) Civil society groups claimed that during the same  panchayat, Hazoor Bakhsh, issued an order acquiting five  people from a neighboring village of the kidnap and rape of  two sisters XXXXXXXXXXXX.  Sources claim that despite  promising the sister's justice at the panchayat, Hazoor  Bakhsh took a Rs. 60,000 (approximately $1000) bribe for  their acquittal and ruled against the sisters -- effectively  finding them guilty of illicit sexual relations. 
 
¶4. (S/NF) Mukhtaran's reaction to these two incidents that  have received limited (and at times inaccurate) play in the  local media has been muted.  She has repeatedly denied her  brother's involvement in the panchayat claiming that the  allegations were “politically motivated.”  She has cited her  brother's omission from the police report filed on the  panchayat as evidence of his innocence.  Civil society  sources, however, assert that Hazoor Bakhsh and Mukhtaran  bribed local police to keep his name out of the report. 
 
¶5. (S/NF) Comment:  Post is reluctant to believe that  Mukhtaran would perpetuate the panchayat system that abused  her so badly in the past, but the number of credible civil  society organizations that have confirmed her and her  brother's involvement in these incidents is impossible to  ignore.  Mukhtaran's and Hazoor Bakhsh's involvement in this  case was reported in the July 8 edition of “The Daily Times”  and other Engligh-language papers.  Reportedly the police  have now registered a rape case against one of the  individuals behind the precipitating attack.  We will  continue to remain in contact with local civil society  organizations in Mianwalli regarding the case.  End Comment. 
CROCKER