Mirwala Jatoi, a small village 107km off to Muzaffargarh, is the hometown of Mukhtar Mai, who was subjected to torture and gang rape seven years ago.
In her native village, nothing has changed except a police check post and two school buildings. Mukhtar Mai is now shifted to her new house which is built with the funds of different NGOs but she herself has changed so much. She has become a confident looking woman who is quite different from the one we met seven years ago.
Recently, Mukhtar Mai weds to Police Head Constable Nasir Abbas Gabol who was deployed at Mirwala police checkpost in 2002. It is her second marriage. Ten years ago, she was married to Muhammad Umar but got divorce after some time.
The marriage is also second for Nasir Gabol who is a father of five children. His first wife happily permits Nasir to marry Mukhtar Mai.
We visited Mukhtar Mai in Mirwala and had a chat with her about what forces her to marry Nasir Gabol and her struggle for women's rights. Excerpts:
When did Nasir propose you?
Nasir was deployed at the Mirwala check post back in 2002. He developed friendly relations with my brothers Huzoor Bux and Abdul Shakoor. He was very sad about what happened to me. He often talked against the evil jirga system prevailing in our country. His sympathy brought him close to my family and he proposed me through my brothers.
Did you instantly accept?
No. I knew that Nasir Abbas is a married man with five children. I was concerned about his wife and children and I kept arguing with my family members about the proposal. Then one day, Nasir sent his wife and children to our house. His wife forced me to marry her husband. Her behaviour was very strange to me. My siblings also forced me to accept the proposal. I finally gave up.
Did you have proposals for marriage before Nasir approach you?
Yes I did. But I refused all of them because I thought they were not interested in me but in the financial assistance I was getting from different NGOs, the fame and the contacts I was earning through my foreign trips. But I decided that I would marry a sincere person.
Did you put any conditions before marrying him?
Yes. I had put condition before my nikah that I would hold all the rights to get divorce in case of any domestic dispute. I have told Nasir that he has no obligations from my side. He can go to his first wife whenever he wants.
There is a news that you have given car and plot to your husband.
No. The news is totally baseless. It is just a propaganda against me.
Did you ever think that you would get justice?
When I was subjected to an inhumane attitude, no one in my tribe was expecting such a large scale protest against it. After the incident, the then Punjab governor Khalid Maqbool came to inquire after me. I am very much obliged to Shaheed Benazir Bhutto who asked Barrister Aitzaz Hussain and Malik Muhammad Ramazan to provide me with legal assistance. They did not charge a single penny and helped me in every possible way in getting justice for which I am thankful to both of them.
Various countries have given you awards in recognition to your struggle for women's rights.
I went to USA, France, Holland and South Korea. All of these countries have shown their sympathy with me. I have also met with former secretary general of United Nations who appreciated my stand against the evil forces and my work for the cause of 
women's rights. Many of the European countries give me awards in recognition to my struggle.
You are doing a lot for giving education to girls.
I have become a social worker. Thanks to the NGOs who are assisting me financially in achieving my goal. I am going extra miles to eliminate illiteracy from my village. I have allocated a large part of my family property, a 12 acre piece of land, for schools and other welfare organizations. I have already built a girls school with a latest computer lab here which has 700 students enrolled. Students are provided with free books. They are also getting free transport facility.
