People across Pakistan today observed a UN-backed “Day of action for Malala Yousufzai” to pay tribute to the teenage rights campaigner who was shot in the head by Taliban fighters for speaking out against the
excesses of the militants.
Special gatherings and prayers were organised in cities across the country, including Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, and students pledged to continue Malala’s work of ensuring education for all children, especially girls.
In a special message, President Asif Ali Zardari said Malala stands tall as a symbol of girls’ education and of
defiance against those who wish to impose their obscurantist agenda behind the facade of religion.
“Since she was eleven, she has been an advocate of education for girls. Malala is a symbol of all that is good
about us,” Zardari said, referring to the teenager’s criticism of the Taliban fighters who controlled the northwestern Swat Valley till the military launched an operation against them in 2009.
Malala represents the resilience of Pakistani girls and women and her attackers were “not just trying to kill the
Daughter of Pakistan, but they are trying to kill Pakistan”,Zardari said.
They didn’t stop at Afghanistan. They won’t stop at Pakistan. The attack on her is an attack on every child in our
region. It is an attack on the future of our region. We cannot sit idly as our children are attacked. We must act. Urgently,” he said.
To reinforce the idea that Malala represents the government of Pakistan, a special initiative has been launched
to give free education to the children, particularly female children of the poorest families, he said.
————————PTI