Police in Multan have arrested 12 people — including members of a village council, elders and relatives — for ordering a man to rape a girl in revenge for the rape of his sister.

Police officer Rehmat Ali says the 12 were brought before a court, which allows police to investigate them for a week without bail.

He said on Monday that following the rape of a village girl, the family of the alleged rapist, Wasim Saeed of Pirmahal, sought pardon from the girl’s family.

Both sides agreed to reconcile on the condition of a ‘revenge rape’ of the suspected rapist’s sister.

Such revenge assaults, called “wani,” are still being practiced in some parts of rural areas of the country, though they are banned under the law.