Canadian university to award honorary doctorate to Mukhtar Mai

Islamabad, Jun.11 (ANI) : The Laurentian University of Canada has decided to award an honorary doctorate degree to Mukhtar Mai, the rape victim-turned Pakistani women rights activist.

According to a statement issued by the Mukhtar Mai Women Welfare Organization, the Canadian university's board of governors and senate has decided to confer the honorary degree to Mukhtar Mai (Mukhtar Bibi) in recognition of her services in promoting girls' education, struggle for women's rights and her extensive work against the rampant gender bias in the country.

The degree would be awarded to her during the university's annual convocation scheduled to be held on October 30.

Mai shot into the limelight along with another gang rape victim Dr Shazia Khaled for highlighting the plight of women in Pakistan's male dominated society.

Mai went to court in protest after the gang-rape meted out to her as punishment for her brother's 'crime' of walking with a girl from a different tribe. (ANI)