Mukhtar Mai is discussing the releases with the government

The Lahore High court said the men should have been freed on Monday. But they have not yet paid any bail.

The case concerns Mukhtar Mai, who was raped allegedly on the orders of a tribal council in 2002.

Ms Mai has been meeting senior politicians to try to get the court's release order overturned.

'Harassing'

The lawyer for the 12 men, Malik Mohammed Saleem, told the BBC News website that the police were deliberately delaying the release of his clients.

He said police were harassing the guarantors who were willing to pay sureties of worth a total of 100,000 rupees ( $1,675) for each of the men.

He said he expected them to be freed now on Tuesday.

The Lahore High Court ruled on Friday that there were no grounds for keeping the men in detention any longer.

It was the latest twist in a number of legal developments in the Mukhtar Mai case:

• 2002: Six men sentenced to death, eight acquitted

• March 2005 - Lahore high court acquits five men, and reduces death sentence on sixth to life in prison

• March 2005 - Sharia court suspends Lahore high court decision

• March 2005 - Prime Minister Aziz orders re-arrest of four of the accused

• March 2005 - Punjab government arrests 12 men originally implicated in case

• June 2005 - Lahore high court says 12 men must be released

Government talks

The attack on Ms Mai took place in the village of Meerwala, in southern Punjab province, in February 2002.

On Monday she was taken from her home to meet the chief minister of Punjab province to discuss her demand that the 12 stay behind bars.

She was then due to travel to Islamabad for talks with the Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's advisor on women's development, Nilofer Bakhtiar.

Ms Mai has used donations she has received since her case gained international attention to open a school in her home village.

There was outrage among women's groups last March when the Lahore High Court acquitted those found guilty of the rape by an anti-terrorism court.

The Lahore court ruled that there was insufficient evidence and incorrect investigation procedures in the case.

The federal government confirmed on Sunday that it placed Ms Mai on a special list of people who are not allowed to travel abroad.

"We want her case to be processed and resolved first," junior interior minister Shehzad Wasim said.

Ms Mai has been invited by human rights group Amnesty International to visit the United States.