FAISALABAD, June 17: A woman has threatened to commit suicide in front of the office of the DIG to mark her protest against alleged apathy of the Jaranwala police.

Talking to newsmen here on Thursday, Kubra Bibi, the mother of four, said she had married Muhammad Akbar of Jaranwala about 15 years ago, but she recently returned to her parent' after developing differences with her husband due to his 'nasty' activities.

She claimed that Akbar sold out their daughter to a brothel owner a month ago. She said she approached the alleged suspect, who refused to hand over the girl. However, she said, the girl managed to escape and met her only to inform that she was molested by several people.

Kubra Bibi further claimed that she had lodged a complaint with the Jaranwala police station SHO and the SDPO, but they had yet to take any action against the suspect.

She alleged that area police had threatened her with dire consequences for not withdrawing her complaint. She said she would commit suicide if a formal criminal case was not registered by the police within next couple of days.

Award for scholars: The Pakistan Education Forum, Islamabad, has announced National Education Award for the year 2003 for five research scholars of the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.

According to a varsity spokesman, the award will be given to Plant Pathology Department chairman Dr Sultan Mahmood, Computer Sciences Department chairman Abdul Aziz Sabir, Fibre Technology Department chairman Prof Shaikh Mohammad Nawaz, Chemistry Department chairman Dr Khalilur Rahman and Plant Pathologist Department chairman Dr Rasheed Ahmad.

masters programme: The University of Agriculture will offer a two-year masters programme in Banking and Financial Services in collaboration with the Institute of Bankers of Pakistan.

Sources in the university said a formal agreement had been signed between the two institutions after negotiations on the project. The programme is scheduled to commence in fall this year.

The course for the degree programme has been designed to provide specific skills, essential knowledge and hands-on training to the graduates so that they can occupy managerial positions in the fast-growing banking sector.

The IBP has reportedly agreed to provide technical assistance, books and publications to the students, besides conducting training courses on selected subjects.

The institute will also arrange supervised internship for the students in various banking and financial institutions. It will also facilitate the qualified students in getting jobs.