‘Attack on Malala was an assault on progressive thinking’
It took a lot of courage for the girl to raise her voice, says Shahi Syed.
KARACHI:
Prayers continued to pour in on Saturday for the iconic children’s rights activist, Malala Yousufzai, who was attacked by militants on Tuesday. As the Awami National Party (ANP) held Quran Khwani for the 14-year-old girl, the Government Secondary Girls School on Mission Road organised an event in her honour and invited education minister Pir Mazharul Haq.
ANP Sindh chief Shahi Syed termed the attack on Malala an assault on progressive thinking. “More than 200 schools were blown up in Swat, and it took a lot of courage for the girl to raise her voice so that they could be reopened. That was the only reason she was punished.”
Shahi Syed added that “forces that want to destabilise the state” attacked Malala. “This is not jihad, but fasaad [mischief].” The ANP leader also requested the clergy to raise their voice against the extremists, who are using the name of the ‘ulema’ to attack people.
Education minister prays at school
During his visit to the Government Secondary Girls School, Pir Mazharul Haq said that attack on Malala was an assault on all the daughters of Pakistan and would not be tolerated. “She raised her voice against cruelty in Swat and was spreading knowledge. The time has come to send a message to the attackers that that we will carry on her struggle,” he said. “If the late Benazir Bhutto could not attain an education, she would not have become Pakistan’s prime minister. Education can change girls’ lives.” The minister added that he visited Peshawar to inquire about Malala’s health. He met her father, Ziauddin Yousufzai, and assured him of the Sindh government’s full support.
The students handed over Rs50,000 to the minister for Malala’s treatment. They also prayed for Shazia and Kainat, two other girls who were injured in the attack.
The school’s director, Attaullah Bhutto, senior district education officer, Farha Naz, education officials and a large number of students as well as parents attended the ceremony.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 14th, 2012.
Prayers continued to pour in on Saturday for the iconic children’s rights activist, Malala Yousufzai, who was attacked by militants on Tuesday. As the Awami National Party (ANP) held Quran Khwani for the 14-year-old girl, the Government Secondary Girls School on Mission Road organised an event in her honour and invited education minister Pir Mazharul Haq.
ANP Sindh chief Shahi Syed termed the attack on Malala an assault on progressive thinking. “More than 200 schools were blown up in Swat, and it took a lot of courage for the girl to raise her voice so that they could be reopened. That was the only reason she was punished.”
Shahi Syed added that “forces that want to destabilise the state” attacked Malala. “This is not jihad, but fasaad [mischief].” The ANP leader also requested the clergy to raise their voice against the extremists, who are using the name of the ‘ulema’ to attack people.
Education minister prays at school
During his visit to the Government Secondary Girls School, Pir Mazharul Haq said that attack on Malala was an assault on all the daughters of Pakistan and would not be tolerated. “She raised her voice against cruelty in Swat and was spreading knowledge. The time has come to send a message to the attackers that that we will carry on her struggle,” he said. “If the late Benazir Bhutto could not attain an education, she would not have become Pakistan’s prime minister. Education can change girls’ lives.” The minister added that he visited Peshawar to inquire about Malala’s health. He met her father, Ziauddin Yousufzai, and assured him of the Sindh government’s full support.
The students handed over Rs50,000 to the minister for Malala’s treatment. They also prayed for Shazia and Kainat, two other girls who were injured in the attack.
The school’s director, Attaullah Bhutto, senior district education officer, Farha Naz, education officials and a large number of students as well as parents attended the ceremony.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 14th, 2012.