Police told Pakistan's Supreme Court today they had arrested 13 people over the gang-rape of a teenager on the orders of tribal village council last month.
"The hunt for the remaining two accused is on and we hope to track them down soon," deputy inspector general of police, Asif Nawaz, told the court's second hearing into police efforts to pursue the case.
The council-decreed gang-rape in the Punjab village of Meerwala on June 22nd has left rights groups here aghast and provoked a wave of national disgust.
Four men including one of the tribal council members allegedly took turns raping the 18-year-old on June 22nd as punishment for her 11-year-old brother's alleged indecencies with a 30-year old woman.
The victim says the saga began with the sodomisation of her brother by men from the 30-year-old woman's locally powerful tribe who was then accused of the affair to prevent him telling his parents.
Chief Justice Ahmed Sheikh ordered police to bring the case to trial "as soon as possible", and to protect the victim against further harassment.
"Police should ensure the safety of the victim and provide her protection against any harassment," he said, following reports that the victim and her family had been intimidated by the accused.
The court took up the case earlier this month amid mounting protests from human rights groups who condemned the rape as a "heinous act" and slammed the police for taking more than a week to move on the case.
President Pervez Musharraf has ordered $8,300 to the victim as compensation from the state, but she has refused to accept the money for herself and instead diverted it to set up a school and a mosque for women.
AFP