The video has appeared widely around the world and in Pakistan. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani condemned the flogging as being contrary to Islamic teachings — even though the Pakistani government has surrendered Swat valley to Taliban justice and Sharia law.
Chand Bibi, reportedly told an Islamic judge and a government commissioner that the incident never happened. She has, however, asked not to have to appear in open court. The denial is being heavily distributed on the internet, as here.
Provincial information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain insisted that “We condemn the acts of repression against women. … But the incident depicted in the videotape never took place in Swat.”
There is always a bit of suspicion concerning the pressure imposed in such a case given the international outcry.
According to the information minister, the commissioner and the judge visited the village of Kala Killay to record the statements of the couple on the directive of the chief secretary of the NWFP. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, ordered officials to appear before his court and also produce the girl who was flogged.