Malala Yousufzai seems to be a role model for lots of kids but, unfortunately, not for the grown-ups in Pakistan.
KANSAS, USA: This letter is with reference to Syed Mohammad Ali’s article, “Rethinking Malala’s UN visit” (July 26). That little girl of 16 years stood on the podium and said things that most of us grown-up could never say. I am from Mardan and she made me very proud because she stood tall to represent her peers all across Pakistan. Children are talking about her across the US and throughout the world. Likewise, the delegates who were gathered at that UN meeting from all over the US are discussing and sharing the same speech in their schools.
Malala Yousufzai seems to be a role model for lots of those kids but, unfortunately, not for the grown-ups in Pakistan. To be honest, we did not pay any attention to Gordon Brown. It was Malala that every one of us wanted to see and hear and she did a splendid job. Of all the bad mouthing that goes around about Pakistan in the US, she was the one person that people admired and said good things about. Benazir Bhutto was another leader who spoke eloquently and people listened to her throughout the world. However, in some parts of Pakistan and in some of its institutions, she was considered an agent of the West. Pakistanis are not very happy people, are they?
Naeem Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, July 27th, 2013.
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