August 23, 2007	Thursday	Sha’aban 9, 1428

MUZAFFARGARH, Aug 22: Women’s rights activist Mukhtar Mai’s secretary Farhan has allegedly fled with office record, Rs200,000, a laptop and a costly camera, according to a report filed with Jatoi police.

Mai told Dawn on Wednesday that Farhan, who was also a member of the Mukhtar Mai Women’s Welfare Association, took a two-week leave on his father’s death, but he did not turn up even a month later.

Mai tried to contact him several times, but he did not respond. She said that later she received an e-mail from the United States, revealing that Farhan got a multiple visa and visited the US by showing himself her representative. She said Farhan cheated the Mukhtar Mai Women’s Welfare Association.

Mai said she contacted Farhan once again and this time he responded. He said he would blackmail her by telling the media her secrets. She said Farhan had been involved in fraud and forgery. She said she was trying to ascertain if Farhan belonged to a secret agency.

LITERACY: Punjab Education Minister Mian Imran Masood visited Muzaffargarh on Wednesday to attend the prize distribution ceremony of a private boarding school.

Masood praised the Tameer-e-Millat School for its results. The school gave him a 10 tola gold medal.

He said the government had increased the budget for education to ensure free education to the poor. He said the incumbent government had increased the education budget from Rs34 billion to Rs102 billion.

He said the literacy rate in Punjab, which was 42 per cent during the previous government’s tenure, had increased to 62 per cent. He said that 2.2 million new children had enrolled in Punjab schools.