Threatened by a 14-year-old
In 2009, now 14-year-old Swati girl, Malala Yousfzai, emerged as a symbol of hope in the Taliban dominated heart of darkness. The diary kept by her which appeared on BBC Urdu website in January of that year not only revealed the fear that pervaded Swat but also the unstinting resolve by the seventh grade student to seek education in violation of the Taliban’s edict. Once the threat was removed through a military operation and life returned to the valley, Malala emerged as an activist for the right of girls to get education and take part in all spheres of life like men.
Despite their evacuation from Swat the Taliban continued to attack schools, particularly those for girls all over Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and tribal areas. A study conducted on the issue has revealed that around 600,000 children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have missed one or more years of education due to militancy while a total of 710 schools had been destroyed or damaged by militants in the province. Malala’s emergence as a role model for many Pukhtun girls was unacceptable to the militants who started to threaten her. The young girl however displayed unusual fortitude. While she never criticized the TTP openly, she continued her advocacy of girls’ education.
Malala’s reputation did not remain confined to Swat. She was nominated for International Children’s Peace Prize. She received the first National Peace Award from Prime Minister Gilani. She also spoke to media at a number of occasions. Malala made it known that she wanted to set up her own political party after completing her education. That a young school girl continued to challenge their primitive policies was too much for the violent Taliban. The attempt at her life indicates a lack of confidence on the part of the TTP in the strength of their own ideology. They were afraid that more and more girls would follow her example, disregarding their terror.
The killing should make the apologists of the militants reconsider their position. The militants did not attack the young girl to avenge the presence of the US-led NATO forces in Afghanistan. The TTP spokesman told media that Malala was to be eliminated because she had preached secularism and so-called enlightened moderation. What constituted secularism in her case was her advocacy of the girls’ right for education. The desire expressed by her to join democratic politics was another irritant. The Taliban have made no secret of their deadly opposition to democracy which according to them is opposed to Islamic teachings. They have made it clear that they consider all political parties contesting elections, whether in power or opposition, as secular and their leaders as slaves of the West. Malala was not the first nor is she going to be the last target of the TTP.
I fully support your contention that the apologists of TTP should reconsider their position. As a matter of fact it is time that all the mainstream parties, the religious parties who believe in the electoral process and persons like Imran Khan should come on the same platform and defeat these obscurantist & mad people. IK should stop giving naive theories of separating the good & bad Taliban, convincing the good and isolating the bad. There are no good or bad Taliban as at the end of the day they are just Taliban. The only understand the language of the gun and will not meaningfully negotiate unless they are politically and militarily defeated. You have to first win at the battle field before you can win on the negotiating table.
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