Mukhtar Mai’s book is a true,
bitter and inspiring account of her struggles in life. Her name came to surface
in June 2002 when journalists wrote about her. She was gang raped and punished
for an honor crime allegedly committed by her brother. The accusation against
her brother was never proved. After Mukhtar Mai was gang raped she intends to commit
suicide. Instead, she went against the local custom. She took her rapists to
court. The true story in this book revolves around Mukhtar Mai who faces stiff
resistance. Despite all odds she fights the powerful, establishes a school in
her village and helps other women under oppression.
Amna Buttar who supports
Mukhtar Mai very strongly is threatened by one of Pervez Musharraf’s closest
friend Brigadier Ijaz Shah. Referring to a planned visit by Mukhtar and Amna to
New York, Ijaz says: ‘We can do anything. We can just pay a little money to
some black guys in New York and get people killed there.’
The author regrets that if she
knew how to read and write then everything would have been much easier.
Moreover, she says that in Pakistan it is difficult for a woman to prove that’s
she has been raped, since she is legally required to provide four male
eyewitnesses to the crime. On August 31, 2002, the court delivers its verdict
stating six men condemned to death and fifty thousand rupees in damages and
costs.
Mukhtar already in the news
opens her first school with the help of the government by the end of 2002. The
little girls start calling her Mukhtar Mai ‘respected big sister’. Later Mai
befriends Naseem in whom she finds comfort. Further in the book the author
explains the marriage customs, her own marriage and her divorce. In addition to
that she talks about the different women who approach her and address her with
their own grievances. Mukhtar mentions the case of Dr Shazia Khalid, who was
raped in Balochistan and who had no choice but to leave the country with her
husband, leaving her son back home. Mukhtar believes that she will not give up
her identity and will work to provide relief to her country which faces many
issues. Despite all odds Mukhtar Mai fights the powerful, establishes a school
in her village and helps other women under oppression.
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