TIMERGARA, June 18: A courageous and knowledge-loving girl, Mamta Naz, from conservative and Taliban-inflicted Maidan area, got first position among girls in the entire Malakand region by securing 907 marks out of 1,050 in the SSC annual examination.

Mamta Naz's father, Mustafa Kamal, a schoolteacher, died when she was only ten years old. However, her family got her educated in a modern English medium school, the Bilal English Education Academy, Timergara.

Talking to this reporter Mamta Naz wished to become a doctor as the area lacked lady doctors. She said despite her father’s early demise and growing Talibanisation in the area she dared to continue her studies and “by the grace of Allah I got first position among girls in the board examination”, she added.

Mamta Naz said due to poverty and social constraints she was now finding it hard to continue her studies and become a doctor. She appealed to the government and other aid agencies to help her complete her education.

BUDGET APPROVED: The University of Malakand (UoM) approved Rs825 million with Rs360 million deficit budget for the fiscal year 2011-12, according to a press release issued here the other day.

The budget was approved at a meeting of the finance and planning committee of the university with vice-chancellor Dr Rasool Jan in the chair.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Higher Education Commission, Higher Education Department, controller of examination, registrar, director finance department, principal degree college Thana Malakand and controller IM Sciences Hayatabad.

Sanction of new posts in various disciplines and current expenditures of the university were included in the budget details.

The meeting demanded of the provincial government to help the university overcome its budget deficit. —Correspondent