Malala -- A symbol of defiance has a college named after her

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AHRC-STM-213-2012
October 26, 2012
A Statement from the Asian Human Rights Commission

PAKISTAN: Malala -- the symbol of defiance has a college named after her
The youth of Pakistan have found a new leader to follow, one that has inspired, not on the youth of the country but the adults as well

The Malala incident in Pakistan has given a powerful voice to the people to come out bravely against Muslim extremism. The breaking of the silence in Pakistan was not the result of any positive action on the part of the peoples' representatives, the parliament or the judiciary. Nor was it the result of supposed actions by people and groups claiming to have worked for change. It was, in fact, the results of the work of a 15-year-old girl, Malala Housufzai, who was shot in the head and neck in an assassination attempt by Taliban gunmen while returning home on a school bus.

The direct translation of Malala is 'grief stricken', however, this young girl is anything but. Now in her hospital bed and recovering slowly she is more determined than ever to complete her campaign of ensuring education for the children of her country.

The attempt to kill Malala who is from a remote area of Pakistan radically altered the thinking of an entire society and the silence that prevailed in that society since the 1980s was broken. It was the army working in collaboration with the fundamentalist that crushed the freedom of expression in the name of national security and in the greater interest of the country.

It has now been reported in the international press that in defiance of the Taliban, the authorities in the Swat Valley have renamed a college after Malala. The college has a student capacity of 2000 and they accept girls and young women. The students of the college are still nervous about the shooting of Malala and her two friends and fear that they too may be targeted. However, they are seizing the opportunity made open to them and are taking advantage of the chance of an education.

In an interview with CNN the students said that they were afraid to attend the school, but were doing so anyway. Many of them openly stated that they were inspired by Malala.

In the same CNN report one young student, Gulalai said, "I myself think that education is important because women have no right in this society so, due to education, they can get their right in this Pakhtun society especially." Another 17-year-old student said, "I think she's a very brave girl.......she sacrificed her life for us, for education, that girls should take education for their bright future. For women it's very important in this society."

Another person interviewed said, "Both girls and boys need to be educated; without an education, girls and boys are nothing."

Malala's example has shaken the Pakistani society out of the cloying fear of retribution by the religious extremists. Now parents are openly announcing their intention to have their children, and particularly their daughters, educated to the highest possible degree. What is of particular significance here is that the local government officials who previously remained silent in the face of the Taliban are now saying that they want to send a message to the people about the importance of education.

Malala is recovering in a hospital in the United Kingdom where hospital authorities have said that there has already been one attempt by suspected extremists to continue their attack. It is the fervent hope of the Asian Human Rights Commission that she recovers completely and is capable of continuing her campaign to ensure education for her fellow Pakistanis, male and female. The youth of Pakistan have found a new leader to follow, one that has inspired not on the youth of the country, but the adults as well.

# # #
About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation that monitors human rights in Asia, documents violations and advocates for justice and institutional reform to ensure the protection and promotion of these rights. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.

© Scoop Media