Tuesday, June 28 2005 19:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Overturning the acquittal of 13 suspects in the gang rape of a woman, which drew international condemnation, Pakistan Supreme Court today (Jun 28, 2005) ordered their re-arrest accepting the plea of the victim.

The three-judge bench of the Supreme Court ordered that the non bailable arrest warrants be issued against the 13 men, accused of raping Mukhtaran Mai on the orders of a village council in Punjab province in 2002 as a punishment for her brother's alleged affair with a girl from an influential rival clan. The suspects had earlier been acquitted by two lower courts.

In 2003, a trial court had convicted six accused and released eight others. It had sentenced four to death and awarded life imprisonment to two. But, the Lahore High Court earlier this month released five of those convicted by the trial court and commuted the death sentence of one of them to life imprisonment, drawing strong criticism from human rights groups.

The Supreme Court ruling came a day after 34-year-old Mai appealed the acquittals at the apex court. "I am very happy. I hope those who humiliated me will be punished," she told reporters outside the court.

Defence Counsel and senior leader of the Opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), who appeared for Mai, said the court order covered all the 14 accused and it quashed all previous judgements. This meant that the court could be hearing the case afresh, he said.

The Supreme Court ordered the Inspector general of Police of Punjab province to arrest the men and hand them over to judicial custody while the appeal is heard.

"They should be treated as under-trial prisoners," Supreme Court Chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry said.

Meanwhile, the Government gave back Mai her passport, which was earlier taken away to prevent her from travelling abroad. "I have received the passport late (last) night," she said.

The Government came under flack recently for putting her name in the Exit Control List (ECL) to prevent her from going to the United States to address meetings organised by human rights groups.

President Pervez Musharraf said he himself ordered her name to be put on the ECL as her campaign could damage Pakistan's standing in the international community.

The Government, however, removed her name from the ECL after she dropped plans to visit the US and withdrew her visa application.

The travel restrictions on her made US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice to express concern and offer her US visa.

The decision to put her name on the ECL turned out to be a "publicity disaster" for the Pakistan Government as it hit headlines all over the world.

Mai has become a symbol of resistance to Pakistan's controversial Hadood laws which, the human rights groups allege, make the justice system go heavily in favour of men.

She has been knocking the door of justice ever since she was gang raped, boldly standing up with the support of national and international human rights groups to demand punishment for culprits.