Fifteen-year-old icon Malala Yousufzai, who was shot by the Taliban for promoting girls' education has requested that a college in Saidu Sharif, in the northwestern Swat Valley not be named after her, AP reported.
Malala reportedly made the request after students protested on campus, tore down Malala's pictures and boycotted classes.
The students at what was previously known as the Government College for Girls said they had repeatedly asked the principal to remove the plate with the new name, fearing it would invite the attention of militants.
The Pakistan government has renamed numerous schools in honour of Malala, who was shot in the head by the Taliban in October for championing girls’ education in Swat and is now recovering in a British hospital.
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Well, the disturbing thing about this Malala phenomenon is that both her supporters & opponents are getting over emotional. Part of message supposed to be delivered to public by this incident is education & rationality. Unfortunately we are letting go of the latter. Educated, rational & thinkers don't necessarily need heroes & heroines, they make them out of themselves. People in support of Malala are unable to answer the technical objections raised by the opponents & are simply making illogical speculations. While the opponents of this phenomenon are knitting long conspiracies which unfortunately are also not backed by any solid evidence. It is disgusting to see how easily our nation can be divided over such matters. It seems that everyone has presupposed something already & no one is bothered to reach a rational conclusion.
Why we are pro- & against-Malala? Why we accept this split invested into our future? Why we cannot say no to the investment coming into Pakistan to enlighten us for free? Why we cannot stand beside her bringing her back as any other innocent victim of media spree? Why we close our eyes and dig our head senselessly?
Yikes so many terrorists apologists on this thread. Keep up the good work Malala! Ignore the idiots who still live in the DINOSAURS AGES.
@Malala Conspiracy Theorists
Malala has revealed us to ourselves . She has shown the brutality and inhumanity of our militant Islamists ; and it has also exposed the sickness of minds of many who explain all our evil acts by conspiracy theories . This self-deception has become a way of life and is the greatest threat to our survival .
Sick mindedness of people of this land of pure has got no limits. Malala should have become a symbol of hope this nation!
first of all who said she was promoting girls education. How she did that can anyone tell me? the Diary which was written on her name wasn't written by her, it was her father who wrote all those things, and about the question whether changing the college name was a bad idea or not, it definitely was a worst idea because Malala is gone and the other girls who will stay and study there are made potential targets for the terrorists.. Malala isn't coming back what good will it do if you change a place name after some body who wont come back, are you trying to promote education or malala, if malala then change everyplace in her name, if education then take some concrete steps to promote it, like build new schools, upgrade old schools, give them uniforms and provide them with books free of cost, update their syllabus give some other positive incentive to the children.
I am from Swat and i would like to say that Malala is the real daughter of not only Pakistan but she is the real daughter and peace Icon for the Entire Muslim world, I appreciate Malala as I know her very closely,those who call this is a drama really don't know the real story and give the sweeping statements. I pray Allah that Malala get Noble prize just to add more burning materials to those who already burnt of Innocent Malala....
we pakistanis are famous at making assumptions and conclusions of our own choice..malala is a girl who brought some good name to this country.ask those pakistanis who r living abroad how this extremist thinking of our society is troubling them there.plzz think positive..how the bullet hit her,how did she recover..dnt waste ur time..the world is busy making new inventions in every field and we r busy discussing useless matters...education,education and only education can bring a change.......
@Introspection:
"I certainly wouldn’t want my daughter’s name stuck with something like ‘Malala Degree College’ for the rest of her life…Hell No!!! "
You are absolutely correct. The government is making a fool of itself. Instead of bringing a positive change, it is doing the opposite by over acting. Their actions lack sincerity.
it is not just about getting a bullet out...she is undergoing rhab. soldiers takes months in these specialist centres. Conspiracy theorists should grow up
Malala got shot she was someone agent 2 others girls got shot they were someone agent Taliban accepted the shooting they were NOT someone agent
We torture, mutilate, and dishonor our women and children. Strangers help, protect, and save them. Another incident: http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/20/us/reactions-aesha-surgery/index.html?hpt=hp_c3
I hope she wins a Pulitzer prize.
@SanePaki- Shocked at your insensitive comment. For your information the little girl was shot in her head and had a brain injury, which takes time to recover and hence she is in the hospital. When you are shot in your head, we will see how long it will take for you to recover, if you happen to survive!!
It's kind of sad when you actually think about the factors that lead up to such a request. Even if she agreed with the protestors, you never see Pakistanis simply disagree. They always try to completely trash people in a very personal way to destroy public opinion of the person rather than their ideas. Never a real debate or simple protest. Turning that on a kid, when they're usually insecure enough for it to cause damage, is something to hate yourselves for. It's also not like she isn't aware of the conspiracy theorists. Adults trying to insult and condemn a child. Pakistani adults certainly have a monopoly on shamelessness. All that, and in the end, it's all about things she never asked for in the first place. It's grown into something that isn't so much simple disagreement as it is being jackals with the methods being used. Try remembering you're picking on a child who was unconscious at the time the actual "drama" truly started. If you still want to continue, you're a reprobate.
The students who were protesting against her belonged to the IJT. Don't let these fanatics impose their imported brand of Islam on our way of life.
@Sick of this nonsense: Sir! Looking at the comments of the shameless creatures and the stooges of terrorists (@Student, @ali khan, @Sanepaki, @Introspection), it's not hard to figure out who are the heroes of these sick minds. They get inspiration from the likes of the terrorist-n-chief OBL (4 beeweeon wale), the fanatic Mullah Aziz (burqa wale), the terror of Baghdad Abu Masab Al Zarqawi (tattoo wale), among others.
It was CIA's conspiracy that college name was renamed after her So we protested against this act, But i think now it is again CIA's conspiracy that her name is to be removed from the college so we protest against this act also and the college should be named after Malala.
i don't know why our people are against an innocent girl??? What she did??? if you have any objection and don't agree with govt, then why all the time name her..if someone is jobless he will blame Malala, and if someone is killed in Karachi, his family blame malala?? why is this?? see this incident separately, don't compare her with drone attacks and with your personal problems.
@ Sikander
Correct. Hi lighting this innocent child in the print media most often invite unpleasent comments that injure the feeling of her family and well wishers.
Malala International Airport Malala Income Support Program Malala TV Channel Malala Guest House
@sikander...The real terrorists are people like you who shift the blame away from the barbarians who shot the little princess and sympathies with them. Keep in mind, people who sympathize with the terrorists are as good as terrorists themselves. Conspiracy theories are for people who have a limited intellect or people who fail to see the obvious writing on the wall if it goes against their believes. Grow up. It's people like you who are destroying this once promising nation.
Poor soul. May God keep her safe. Rather than naming places after her, I think the best we can do is to live her message of peace, faith, and education.
This shows two things;one,radicalisation has hit the grass root of this country and reverse journey to civilised Pakistan will met with great bloodshed. Second, Present ruling elite including everyone is highly incapable of bringing that change. Renaming things is the easiest way to divert attention on real issues.Their (elites) ways are no ways.Shame.
the government should establish new schools and colleges and name them after Malala. and those who are calling all this a drama need to die of shame (plz et dont delete this) and those who are saying why is she staying in hospital for so long ..... to them my answer is if u even see an AK 47 LET alone a bullet fired form it just the sihgt of it and u r gone...no more in hospital u r right...good job ET for giving us news and keeping us update ppl that r critisingz ET for MALALA news just cant take malala's fme they are jelous
we are a nation of cynics and losers (not to mention conspiracy theorists). we don't deserve any heroines or heroes, for we are the first to shoot them down into the muck where the rest of us are currently residing.
@javed: Calling a national hero a drag? kudos to you brother.
@Sanepaki: she got shot, did not have a neck sprain that she would be discharged in a day :)
I haven't had enough of Malala, and I never will. Keep it coming, ET. Every time I hear of Malala it warms the cockles of my heart; I exaggerate not. Every day the news is filled horrible things and the in the midst of it all is a Malala story to make feel a little good, and a little hopeful.
Can we please rename gaddafi stadium to LCG(Lahore Cricket Ground)!!.
Well, I am not a supporter of anyone or anybody,But I will say, Malala is just an innocent child, who is a puppet in this great game.. The Real culprits (as we all know), should be brought to justice, not the terrorist (ones media calls) but the real terrorist..
E.T, you guys know the truth and please stop this nonsense drama and leave her alone..
Wow. Malala is now telephoning ministers & bureaucrats of highest ranks & advising them on further actions. The bullet that hit her (if it did hit her at all) was a blessing from heaven.
who is responsible for the coverage of ppl dying in drone attack. Just not coverage but need more than they just died by drone. From there Journalism started. Just to give the drone strick news is such a thing MEDIA is copying and pasting news from international media to its web site.
It is astonishing to note that Malala was attacked with a gun bullet, she survied and went to UK for treatment and have now started giving statements.
Majority of the people are of the opinion is that somew vested interests are behind the Malala and she and her family members are playing in the hands of those vested interests.
Malala Storey has now become a bed time story for every one, which the grandmothers can tell to those small children who do not go to sleep early in the night.
Well, this Malala fiasco is becoming a bit of a drag by now. Everytime I browse E.T's main page, it feels like I have laned onto Malala's official website....
Drama!
She was shot on October 9 :-) two and a half months and still in hospital. Seems like the hospital has adopted her :-)
Protest is fully justified! It’s ‘broad-daylight-dacoity’ by the Govt. of the already established respectful name of ‘Saidu Sharif Girl’s Degree College’. I certainly wouldn’t want my daughter’s name stuck with something like ‘Malala Degree College’ for the rest of her life…Hell No!!!