It has now been 17 years since Mukhtaran Mai survived a brutal panchayat-ordered gang rape. Despite the astounding amount of time that has passed and the grizzly nature of the crime, she still hasn’t been able to get justice. It is no wonder that she showed more faith in God than anything elsewhile speaking to Daily Times regarding the Supreme Court’s recent adjournment of her case. Forced to run from pillar to post to receive justice, Mai’s only real ally at this point seems to be her attorney Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, who is representing her pro bono. Eight of the 14 men Mai accused of being involved in the rape continue to be at large. They continue to use legal loopholes in the Pakistani justice system to evade justice. On the case’s last hearing this past Wednesday, they showed up to the court without any legal representation, forcing the presiding judge to adjourn the case until March 27. It is unfortunate that these men have been given a rather long reprieve once again. What makes matters worse is that this is a country where members of the judiciary in the past have been seen jumping past all legal hurdles to order the construction of mega infrastructure projects etc., but a high profile rape case has taken ages to reach its logical conclusion. What causes more anguish to the victim is that the Lahore High Court had previously acquitted six of the previously convicted accused. The Pakistani justice system must now prove that it is able to protect women from such brutal crimes. Apart from this, it must also prove that it is able to crack down on the parallel systems of justice that order such heinous sentences. Mai’s case must not face any more delays. The case must be expedited so justice can be served and seen to be served, once and for all. * Published in Daily Times, March 7th 2019.