MULTAN, Sept 15: President Pervez Musharraf’s remarks that becoming a rape victim is a moneymaking concern in Pakistan have invited widespread condemnation from rights activists, including gang-rape victim Mukhtar Mai. Gen Musharraf had reportedly commented on the issue in New York in an interview to Washington Post.

About Mukhtar Mai and the ban his government had clamped on her travel abroad, Gen Musharraf told the paper he had no regrets about how he handled the incident.

He said Mai had come under the sway of organizations determined to harm Pakistan’s image and he did not think that Pakistan should be singled out when the curse was everywhere in the world. He said he had seen figures about rape in the US, Canada, France and Britain showing that “it is happening everywhere”.

“You must understand the environment in Pakistan,” Musharraf added, saying “this has become a moneyspinning concern. A lot of people say if you want to go abroad and get a visa for Canada or citizenship and be a millionaire, get yourself raped.”

The president’s remarks have rather shocked the Pakistani activists working here and abroad for human rights in general and women rights in particular.

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan chairperson Asma Jehangir said it was highly unbecoming of the president to talk in this way. “It shows the mindset (towards women) of the people at the helm from the president to the SHO.”

She said the president had not only showed contempt towards women of the country he was representing at the UN but he had also showed the true face of his ‘enlightened moderation’. “His remarks must be denounced by everyone who believes in dignity of the Pakistani woman,” she said.

The HRCP chairperson said it would be better had the president named some rape victims who had left the country to adopt the citizenship of Canada or any other developed country. She said the Sui rape victim, Dr Shazia Khalid, was forced to seek asylum abroad when she wanted to fight for justice in the country.

Talking to Dawn from Meerwala, Mukhtar Mai said no woman could subject her to such a horrible experience to make some bucks.

“I offer all the ‘riches’ I’ve made out of the panchayat-enforced gang-rape to the president in return for justice,” Mai choked.

She said there were innumerable incidents of rape and gang-rape which had not been reported on account of the country’s flawed justice system, and if one or two women had cried against the dreadful crime they were being labelled as ‘moneymaking concerns’.

She said former Canadian high commissioner Margaret Huber had offered her the immigration when her name was put on the ECL and she faced hardships in the face of restrictions to her free movement even within the country a couple of months ago. “But, I had refused to leave my country and thanked the HC for her kindness,” she said and added “I will stay here to fight my case till the last.”