When Taliban targeted Malala Yousafzai, Oct 09 last year, they had never imagined what mistake they were going to commit. They presented the world with, in ex-PM UK Gordon Brown’ words, an icon of courage and hope. World came to know about Malala when she secretly recorded in her diary what she saw, observed and felt during the Taliban’s occupation of Swat valley in 2007/08. Those were the terrible times when Pakistanis for the very first time tasted the reign of terror in the form Taliban’s ruthless rule in Swat. Those violating Taliban’s code of conduct and other opponents were used to be lashed or publicly hanged in the Mingora’s main square, then re-named as Khoni Chowk (Bloody Square) after summary trials in so-called Sharia courts.
Female education was shut down; girl students and their teachers were warned of dire consequences if ever tried to attend the schools. Though after expulsion of Taliban from Swat, situation has improved; however, fear and uncertainty still govern the valley. Despite open threats from Taliban, Malala kept living in Swat as no one thought that they would target a child. But as said an icon was going to be born with the courtesy of Taliban when they attacked her on Oct 09 on her way home from school. Since then she didn’t look back and moved forward with courage and determination.
She was at UN headquarter, July 12, addressing a youth assembly on her 16th birthday. She is now one of the top runners for this year’s Nobel peace prize. As the world love and respect the courage and dedication of this teenager for the advancement of education, especially the girls education in developing world, we regret no change in Taliban’ stance towards her. As her school mates pray in secret for her to win the Nobel prize, one would dream that one day her dreams will come true and her classmates will no longer need to pray in secret.
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail, Saudi Arabia