I do feel quite ashamed and sad that Malala Yousafzai had to call the authorities in Pakistan requesting to reverse their decision to name a girls’ college after her in her hometown. Why so? Because students of that particular college had been protesting for last few weeks on this renaming proposal. Apparently, the girls were afraid of Taliban in the vicinity who may target their institute in revenge. They have already targeted the residence of the other girl who was injured along with Malala.
At a time when the rest of the world is untied in its resolve to support the cause for which Malala was targeted by the dark forces of the medieval times, we the citizens of her country are unable to even make a ceremonial gesture. We the citizens of her country are unable to protect the other angels, the health workers, who are risking their lives to protect the future of Pakistan. What was the fault of 14-year-old Farzana who was shot dead at point blank the other day in Peshawar when she was coming out of a house after administrating polio drops. Her assailants were successful in their aim as the anti-polio campaign has now been deferred across the country.
It clearly shows the retreat of the state in the face of die-hard brutal terrorists who are not ready to budge even an inch on their misguided deviant ideology. Yesterday, it was Malala, a girls’ education activist, today it’s Farzana’s fate, tomorrow could be an officer or industry worker as these people are not ready to come out of tribal clout. This will go on forever unless we the citizens of Pakistan — civil society, political and religious leadership, judiciary, armed forces and media — get ready to take the responsibility for this mayhem and are willing to divorce these people who are a black blot on the society’s face.