Disturbingly, however, amidst the general consensus that the shooting was an act of terrible cowardice, there were some dissenting voices. MNA Ataur Rehman, brother of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and a member of the house from Fata, stated that the real culprits were drone attacks and that young people should be counselled not to toe the line dictated from abroad. This comment by Rehman immediately brought a sharp rebuke from MNA Ayaz Ameer who suggested no effort should be made to confuse the issue or divert blame away from the Taliban. Many others agreed with his strong words.
As expected, the interior minister gave his usual assurances of the best possible treatment for the injured girl. Perhaps, what parliamentarians need to ask themselves is why 14-year-old Malala was left to raise her voice and stand up for girls’ education with only limited support from other quarters, including public representatives who sit in the National Assembly. It goes without saying that this responsibility should have been shouldered more fervently by them rather than exposing a small girl to such danger over the past few years. Unfortunately, nor was she joined by others in her cause. It is encouraging, however, that the chief of army staff, who visited Malala in the hospital, has been unequivocal in his condemnation of the incident, describing it as a ‘heinous’ crime which could not be defended. He promised to go after the culprits with all the might of the military forces of Pakistan. We must hope this will happen so that further incidents of similar nature are prevented and courage is allowed to live in a country which needs it in order to save itself.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th, 2012.
COMMENTS (18)
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West likes to take one case and give publicity to make the point. Of course it works. But do no forget that Malala is only one in thousands who suffer at the hands of religious nuts. I went once to swat a decade ago and my daughter in law (german) asked me: Where are women in swat, I have not seen one yet? We all know where they are. In jails of four wallls of their homes, not allowed to see the light of day. The road to light is not in sight yet. If anything, we are going backwards. Mala is a brave girl. I hope others do not have to sacrifice life for struggle for equal rights for women.
@tahir: "TTP is a cia proxy"
Of course that is why drones killed Baitullah Mehsud and Qari Hussain. Totally logical.
Some call TTP as CIA proxy, some call Haqqani and Queta Shoora s Pak Army proxy. When the blame game will end. Main struggle should focus to end the extremism. Pak Army can do it if decides and executes it with determination. COAS has promised to go ahead in this particular case. Let us see and wait for the outcome.
Just got to read that doctors are now saying her Brain is not damaged. Hope she makes full recovery soon now.
Aziz:
I apologize to anyone who was hurt, my words came out in a way I didn't intend.
But, It wasn't my expert opinion - I read in news reports, that her doctors saying the bullet had passed thru the left side of her brain and that there is a possibility 70% survival and of some cognitive loss, even when she recovers.
I continue to pray fervently that she comes out of this with all faculties intact.
@ Karma
Thank you for being so articulate and sensitive. Indeed this is what Malala's parents and family would like to hear in their most trying hours.
And Express Tribune is doing a great job in providing a platform for highly expert prognosis about her condition.
"MNA Ataur Rehman, brother of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and a member of the house from Fata, stated that the real culprits were drone attacks." Maulan wants to tell us that Malala is a drone operator. Shame on you and your ugly face of terrorism.
Here is what I believe, as a nation and the Pakistani state has to decide if we want to build a tolerant and vibrant society, where our believes and ideology are challenged through discourse not with blood, where we are ok to have differences, where we have choice and our generation can have access to education and opportunities to grow. Unfortunately, currently we have surrendered ourselves to be made hostage by handful who are bent upon imposing there will and interpretation of how society should be the result is bloodshed, total break down of law and order and a state of anarchy. Our security and intellegence service have failed us as they are unable to protect us from both internal and external threats. Part of our territory without government writ and the population is either at mercy of these extremist or they are harassed and killed by Drone. At the minimum we must assert the writ of our government in these terirtories and claim out sovereignty by demanding and end to the drones, however, that can only happen when we can control and rid ourselves these barbaric idelogs who at will can kill anyone anywhere in Pakistan. Our existence and way of living is under threat and it may be to late if we don't take action now.
Its more like a "collective sin" than a "blame game" with apologies to Samual Taylor
"God save thee ancient Mariner! From the fiends, that plague thee thus!- Why lookest thou so?"-- With my cross-bow I shot the Albatross
It would be foolish to think that this menace can be eliminated by the Army. Was not the Swat valley cleared by them earlier? The roots of the problem are in our heads, not in our arms. It has taken us all of 65 years to reach where we are today. It will take us even longer to get out of the mess. But, brave Malala has shown the shameless masses of this country where to start.
Our Supreme Court and Election Commission are keen to disqualify those with dual nationality, what about those representatives who are trying to put justifications for this dastardly and barbaric act...can't they be disqualified under any provision of law? Well if Courts are helpless before the might of extremists, is it not time when the people should give their verdict and disqualify such apologists of extremism from the assemblies. People should rise else the rising tide of extremism wipe them. If we really think that Malala is a daughter of this nation then we should not wait for another bullet to hit any other daughter of this nation.
@tahir: "TTP is a cia proxy that attack benefited only CIA" Ah!Why then does Imran Khan advocate negotiating with it? Why did your government Nizam-e-Adl treaty with it in 2009?
Tahir, YOU are a conspiracy by the CIA/MOSSAD/RAW to make people think Pakistani people are conspiracy nuts - so there!
@tahir: Please give us credible references (other than some conspiracy bloggers) for your comment that "TTP IS CIA PROXY" !!! That appears to be the standard comment from all the TTP APOLOGISTS!
@karma: If everyone stops attending the rallies of likes of Imran Khan, Hafiz Saeed, Munawar Hasan Sheikh Rasheed, Shabaz Sharif, DPC and all religious parties that promote extremism and terrorism, everything would change immediately. Media should boycott all these extremists and no one should donate to these so called charitable organizations of terrorists. They should also stop donating money to any such religious organization. If everyone stops attending their rallies and making donations, these parties shall change immediately. By donating to such charities and attending their rallies, Pakistanis are committing serious sin. Donate only to Edhi Foundation.
Tahir is a conspirator against Muslims to make them all look bad.
There is a chance Malala may not make it, or make it like she used to be before - and Majority of Pakistan that was horrified by attack on her will learn to live with Glib supporters of taliban like Imran Khan or Fazl-ur-Rehman.
Moderates should rally in great numbers to force an issue of ensuring Pakistan makes a decisive break from the past, swears to fight extremism in all its forms, allows for tough emergency laws to punish supporters of extreme ideology(financial, material or spiritual). The time is for tough actions not glib words and crocodile tears.
TTP is a cia proxy that attack benefited only CIA