Mai, Asma leave for US

Published October 23, 2005

LAHORE, Oct 22: Meerwala gang-rape victim Mukhtaran Mai left for the US on Saturday. She was invited by a New York-based magazine to receive the “Glamour Women of the Year Award” in a ceremony to be held at Lincoln Centre in New York on Nov 2.

Mai’s name was placed on the exit control earlier this year when she was invited to the US to speak on women’s rights.

In a letter to Mai, Glamour editor-in-chief Cindi Leive said the magazine honoured those who had struggled for the cause of women.

Mai said that she would donate the cash award to quake relief efforts besides generating more funds in the US.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan chairperson Asma Jehangir also left for the US to speak on human rights in Pakistan on the invitation of Asian-American Network.