Pakistanis believe their children deserve to go to school: Clinton

Clinton says a country which does not stand up to extremism to protect its children needs to take hard look at itself.

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that that the people of Pakistan are saying that the country's children deserve to go to school.

In an interview with NBC News during her trip to Lima, Peru, Secretary Clinton elaborating over the attack on Malala Yousufzai said that "I think that the people of Pakistan are saying what needs to be said so eloquently now – that children, boys and girls, deserve to go to school; they deserve to have the chance to make the best of their God-given potential, to make a contribution to their society."

Secretary Clinton added that any country that does not stand up against extremism in order to protect its children has to take a hard look. "I think that's what's happening in Pakistan," said Secretary Clinton.

"And I certainly hope so because there are so many thousands of young girls who deserve to go to school, who deserve to have an education, and those who are committing these terrible acts of violence need to be brought to justice."

The Taliban have attacked female students in Pakistan and Afghanistan. They have also blown up hundreds of schools, particularly targeting girls schools. Earlier this month, Taliban shot 14 year student from Swat Malala Yousufzai who has been an outspoken critic of the group and its policies towards women and education.