The International Crisis Group strongly condemns the brutal police attack on Asma Jahangir and other rights activists participating in a peaceful gathering in Lahore, Pakistan, on 14 May 2005.
Although village courts are illegal, they still hold a powerful sway in rural Pakistan, and verdicts that target the innocent - particularly women - are common.
The victim of a high-profile gang rape in Pakistan will file an appeal with the Supreme Court against Thursday's acquittal of five men who had earlier been sentenced to death for the attack.
All this business about 'religious' extremists attacking a marathon because women were participating in it, and then presenting a bill to the National Assembly seeking to criminalise 'indecent' advertisements brings inevitable memories of the Zia years.
Last week the six-party religious alliance that constitutes one-fifth of parliament introduced a bill seeking a complete ban on women in advertising. The move follows the MMA's recent successes in stopping women from participating in outdoor sports.
