MUZAFFARGARH, March 25: The second annual prize distribution ceremony was held at the Mukhtaran Mai School of Mirwala on Sunday.

About 3,000 people of the area, children and their parents and school staff attended the ceremony.

Foreigners Amna Butter, chairperson of `Ana’ USA, Wilson Lee, chairman of National Endowment for Democracy, Nichlos Dekristis, a journalist from Washington DC, and Katia Lon, a movie maker of Brazil, were also present.

Wilson Lee said he was impressed by the talent of local children. He said he would come to Mirwala again and learn Seraiki to work for the welfare of the people. He said Pakistanis were not less competent than the people of America and other western countries but owing to injustice and unequal distribution of resources, Pakistan was a poor country.

Katia Lon said she was planning to make a movie on Mukhtaran Mai and during her trip to Mirwala, she had seen various locations for her film. She said her film would revolve around the life and struggle of Mukhtaran Mai and she would highlight miseries of other women victims of tribal traditions.

Mukhtaran Mai said she was running the school with the help of donors and awards’ money which she received from different countries. Two years ago, children used to sit on wheat sacks because there were no chairs or desks, she said. “Now they sit on desks and put their books on tables.

Mukhtaran Mai said in the beginning people used to resist her efforts for bringing girls to school. “Now I am getting a tremendous response from the area people,” she said.