On January 20, 2006, Mukhtaran Mai, the victim of a brutal gang rape ordered by a tribal court in Pakistan, was due to speak before the United Nations. However, at the last minute, the UN postponed the visit due to Pakistani protests that Mai's appearance was due to occur at the same time as a visit by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. Ms. Mai would have been allowed to speak on the 24th, but would have left New York by then and her schedule wouldn't have permitted her to return.

Aziz claims that he didn't know about the complaint until he came to the UN on the 20th. This is very difficult to believe, considering that only President Pervez Musharraf is better known in the West than Ms. Mai. Forcing the UN to cancel her visit is bad enough, but to do so at the last minute is inexcusable.

We, the undersigned, ask you to protest this action by the Pakistani government. We also ask that you demand an explanation from the Pakistani government as to how much it knew about Ms. Mai's visit and when it knew about the visit.