Malala Yousufzai (C) waves with nurses as she is discharged from The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham in this handout photograph released on January 4, 2013. PHOTO: REUTERS
Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, central England, said 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai would continue her rehabilitation at her family's temporary English home before undergoing major reconstructive surgery in a few weeks.
Malala, was brought to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham on October 15 after Taliban gunmen shot her in the head as she travelled on a school bus in Swat.
Earlier, the Pakistani government had said that she would undergo skull surgery within weeks at the British hospital where she is recovering from her injuries.
Her cranial reconstruction surgery will be carried out in late January or early February "as part of her long-term recovery", said a statement released by the Pakistani High Commission in London.
Dave Rosser, medical director at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, said Malala had "continued to make great progress in her treatment", according to the statement.
It emerged on Wednesday that Malala's father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, would become Pakistan's education attache at its consulate in Birmingham.
Yousafzai will initially undertake the role for three years, but could get a two-year extension as his daughter continues her recovery, the Pakistani government said.
Malala first rose to prominence aged just 11 with a blog for the BBC Urdu service in 2009 in which she described life in Swat during the bloody rule of the Taliban.
Her calls for improved education for girls attracted the attention of the Taliban, ultimately leading to the attempt on her life.
COMMENTS (37)
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It is amazing to see that editor have become biased in this story and not allowing the comments to be published which do not match their point of view.
Not a single comment which show the others point of view whereas on facebook and twitter you will find the complete other picture.
May she continue to live with the honor and bravery that she has already demonstrated. Get Well Soon.!!
May she continue to live with the honor and bravery that she has already demonstrated.
Hope she gets well soon. Seems like the bullet grazed past a nerve to her facial muscles, she can only pull a smile in one direction. Good thing that her dad got a 3-year job stint at the Pakistani consulate in the UK, I wouldn't blame her and her family if they chose to settle down there - actually, that's the smart thing to do if you want to live like a civilized person.
The fact that supposedly educated people still have negativity towards this girl (possibly because they couldn't get immigration for the Western countries they love to bash) shows how far down the abyss this nation is. Allah help us.
Finally she can feel the fresh air outside after being in the hospital for so long.There had been different rumors about her head injury which perhaps don't agree with. I think there is much more in this case,The attack on her was a terrorist act. I am glad today that she walks out of the hospital her self!
@Haven't lost my sanity:
I totally second your critique on the father banking that lucrative position. I DO NOT think it was a jealous comment at all. It is a very fair question; Are government positions supposed to be handed out on the mere basis of sympathy and guilt?
Her father is is under qualified for the position and the move is in clear violation of any organizational law. Let us stop feeling sorry for people and genuinely contribute towards society. These petty one-time-only moves might help just one family in a short run but are counter-productive for the country in foresight.
I think sympathizers should rather spend their charity elsewhere. It has become our social habit to dole out unnecessary sympathy to somehow sedate our own guilt. It is good news that she is out of the hospital and recovering. Let us now leave her alone and move to other more important concerns.
My comment did not get published because I addressed Malala as Khoray (sister in Pashto).
Okay, here I go again...
Get well soon, Malala Baaji.
@SomeOne SomeWhere: You seem quite an interesting individual. Just a curious question; where is this SomeWhere? :)
@shocked (former) pakistani: What happened to ur 'shame' that you give yourself such an embarrassing nick?! ;-)
Anyway, I've always wished that she gets well and gets a chance to live upto her dreams. Since you seem to become judgemental about me, let me tell you that I am not one of those who believed in any of the conspiracy theories surrounding the attack on her. But yes, I will be disappointed if she and her family settles abroad while making claims to serve the nation.
@Salman Khan Durrani: Pashtun.... Rickshaw driver.... Am amazed how did you manage to assume any such thing from my comment.... Sorry dude, it's not me but yourself who's suffering from complex. Get yourself some help. :)
And I still believe that being a school principal doesn't qualify him to become an Education Attache. Imagine a school principal being appointed as Education Minister or even a VC of a university.
@Haven't lost my sanity: What do you mean, her father is not qualified. Don't look down as Every Pashtun is riskshaw driver. He was the principle of the school and can do whatever he wants. Don't bring your slave mentality.
Have some shame@Jinnah:
It is heart warming news, I am glad that she will be staying with her parents, it will definitely enhance her recovery. Our prayers are with you, your family and your friends in Swat. Get well and be a spokesperson for the rest of the girls all over the world.
Get well soon! you are daughter of Pakistan. It always hurts to see your cute face being (pardon me please) little changed, as it hurts whenever Taliban apologists state that its all fake. Well, if it was a conspiracy, surely Imran Khan was part of it. As he and Mrs Qasoori met Malala right after attack, in CMH. Why they never came out shouting loud, that there's no gun wound, or its all fake? Why IK kept his 'fan club' in dark about this 'charade' against 'Islam' and their dear Taliban? I'm no voting him after this lie.
@Raza Khan: You need more malala's in Pakistan? You sure about that!
@Haven't lost my sanity , there is not much place for more bravery than she has already shown. The voices like Salman Taseer or any one on some 'forbidden' matter which is not liked but some other group of people in Pakistan are silenced. She can probably serve her country better by staying alive. Unless the government and army take our country back from 'others' it would be foolishness not bravery for her to come back. Also before you make such statement, please go a head live in Swat under fear for years, get hunted, shot in head, then may be survive and only then make such comments.
@shocked (former) pakistani: Fully agree with you. Who in their right mind will want to live in a country infested by ignorant fanatics. We only get life once so live it fully and usefully in a civilsed country. Best wishes to Malala and all others like her and perdition to narrow minded bigoted extremists.
She has cranial nerver damage causing facial drooping on the affected half. Its obvious in this video
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-20908439
Big slap on the face of the terrorists. We are happy to see you in healthy shape. May God provide you best education & profession.
@havent lost my sanity If Malala openly renounced her Pakistani citizenship after what happened to her, I would support her. The fact that she still chooses to be called a Pakistani is more than enough generosity on her part. Stay safe brave little child Malala.
@havent lost my sanity You seem to have actually lost your sanity, by posting such a Jealousy filled comment. After being shot in the head at the mere age of 15 by a fellow countryman, you still expect Malala to serve Pakistan?? Seems your shame has gone to the dogs...
Should be a public holiday - Malala Day
Hope she gets better and stays as far away from Pakistan as possible where people are too busy debating whether she was actually shot or not. Get well soon!
Get well soon:))
"It emerged on Wednesday that Malala’s father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, would become Pakistan’s education attache at its consulate in Birmingham. Yousafzai will initially undertake the role for three years, but could get a two-year extension as his daughter continues her recovery, the Pakistani government said."
Education Attache? What does an Education Attache do? Is he qualified for the appointment or his daughter is the requisite qualification? I guess they are not coming back now. So, what happened to all those aspirations to serve the PAKISTANI nation?!
I won't be surprised to see her flashing a British passport and making promises to stand by her Pakistani sisters!
No wonder, strange things happen in Wonderland!
Best wishes:)
Malala`s deformed face, the black circles around her eyes and the deep sadness in them, takes many of us back in our dark childhood memories which we either want to forget or suppress. The violent, hate-filled and angry adults of our society are the abused children of yesterday.
Malala hating conspiracy theorists and Taliban sympathizers coming in 3...2...1...
Get Well Soon. Malala God willing you will become the Anne Frank of Pakistan.
Happy to read she is leaving the hospital. What are the plans of her family about their return to Swat? I hope the brave girl returns to spread her message & more and more girls get educated to build an 'army of educated mothers' to bring a social revolution in Pakistan.
@Raza Khan: "We all love you very much beta!" You call her "beta" every time. Why not call her "beti", which she really is! This is our subconscious preference for "beta" over "beti" throughout the subcontinent although we love our "beti"s every bit as we do our "beta"s. This does psychological damage to our "beti"s!
It should be a national holiday then.
We all love you very much beta! Get well soon. We need more Malala's in Pakistan. Your parents must be so proud of you.
I'm more worried about Pakistan now. She is safe & will settle down in UK, so lets contemplate on making things better for Pakistanis in Pakistan.
We all pray for her early and painless recovery.
Get well soon Malala :)