Malala Yousafzai's book "I am Malala". PHOTO: PUBLICITY
I am at a loss 2 understand why Malala's book launch stopped in Peshawar. PTI believes in freedom of speech/debate, not censorship of ideas.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 28, 2014
The book was scheduled to launch today at Peshawar University, however, the K-P government stopped the launch.
"We were forced to cancel it. We were pressurised by provincial ministers and university vice chancellor," Sarfaraz Khan, the Area Study Centre director, told AFP.
"When I refused to follow this illegal order (to cancel the event) police refused to provide security."
Khan said he received numerous phone calls from two provincial ministers, followed by the university vice-chancellor, registrar and senior police officers.
Minister for Information Shah Farman told Express News that the government banned the book launch in the university as it was not relevant to its curriculum. He added that the K-P government does not object to the book itself, but is opposed to its launch in a university.
Farman stated that allowing educational institutes to launch books which are not relevant to their curriculum would be like "opening pandora's box".
"It was just to get more US funding," Farman said.
Police had also refused to provide security at the book launch which had been organised by the Bacha Khan Education Foundation and an NGO.
In a heated debate between BKEF Managing Director Khadim Hussain and Farman on Express News, Hussain claimed that Farman had called Malala's book "controversial". He alleged that the reason given by Farman for stopping the book launch was only an excuse.
Hussain, the head of the Bacha Khan Education trust, a local charity which was supporting the launch ceremony, said the pressure to cancel the event was a sop to militants.
"They stopped us to please Taliban, we will soon announce another date for the book launching," Hussain told AFP.
The book describes Malala's life under the Taliban's brutal rule in the Swat valley in the mid-2000s and hints at her ambition to enter Pakistani politics.
Some private schools banned it from their premises in November due to what they called its "anti-Pakistan and anti-Islam content".
A senior police official said allowing the ceremony to go ahead would have meant attracting Taliban attacks in future.
"Everyone knows that Taliban are against Malala, so we do not want to open another front for ourselves," the official said, requesting anonymity.
Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Zahid Khan said that the government put a restriction on the book because it was scared of a violent backlash by militant groups.
Aseefa Bhutto Zardari and other politicians criticised the K-P government's move, and expressed both surprise and concern.
Pathetic of PTI gov to ban #Malala's book. This is censorship ! Where is our freedom of speech and expression ? #MalalaBookBan #IAmMalala
— Aseefa B Zardari (@AseefaBZ) January 27, 2014
But why?? KP govt stops Malala book launch http://t.co/8NqFn8EejL #NayaPakistan
— Syed Ali Raza Abidi (@abidifactor) January 28, 2014
#NayaPakhtunkhwa Govt stops I am Malala book launch--Yet another step towards #Talibanization. http://t.co/UCGTGzseF0
— Bushra Gohar (@BushraGohar) January 28, 2014
Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari spoke up against the ban as well, calling for a ban of Imran Khan's book in Sindh.
Thinks the Sind gov should ban imran khan's book in retaliation #IAMMalala
— Bakhtawar B-Zardari (@BakhtawarBZ) January 27, 2014
The book, ‘I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban’ has been popular internationally and appears on The New York Times's best seller list.
COMMENTS (61)
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This happens only when you select electibles in the party, without any consideration on their thoughts or brain (or the absence) for that purpose :)
@Aysha M: being ‘at a loss’ is becoming more of a permanent state of mind for you Actually it's all happening under IK's government. After seeing the public mood, IK gives his reaction to match it. It's just another proof of his hypocrisy.
@Malala: The book is a big flop and media is busy hiking it. Then what is you are afraid of ?
Bad cop. good cop!
ET will publish anything said against IK even if it is unethical and bad language.
@rex minor Countless not from Punjab only but from as far as Karachi, mostly for kidnapping for ransom.
GO PTI GO.
PTI is ruining KPK. When will we get rid of this PTI. They are doing nothing but wasting and looting resources. Corruption is at its peak in KPK. PTI has not fulfilled even a single promise in KPK. They raised the slogan of Change in the elections compaign. Where is that change? I am searching for that change. Conditions are even worse in KPK. Now they have become allies of terrorists and Talibans.
Coward PTI. Coward Imran.
Is it even worth discussing. Not banning the book would bring any peace in the country. There are so many other problems to talk about. whats wrong with us...
PTI is drowning in its own Tsunami. PTI is suffering due to immature politics of imran khan.
Imran Khan is the biggest juggler. He always deceived the nation. He won some national assembly seats with the help of Establishment. Next time he will not win even 10 seats. ALLAH bless Pakistan.
No hope from PTI. PTI was loser. PTI is loser. PTI will remain loser.
Imran Khan has a major flaw in his judgement when it comes to the female gender. He can neither think nor imagine about the energy which is vested in the person of a woman and when unleashed, is capable of moving the entire Universe. This is what the scrptures say and this is what will decode the secrets imbedded in the scriptures. The dawn of the 21st century is also the hope for the world and appearance of women in dominant positions until now reserved for macho men. He should better stick to politics or whatever is his expertise is. Malala can take care of herself and her book as well and over time she will learn about the charlatans, the lobbyists and the powerfull ones who among them are running the world.
Rex Minor
A big shame for dirty politics of PTI.
@observer: I would agree with you on this comment. Thank you.
Hats off for this sane comment. Also, wasn't he aware of the ban of launch in the book as the chief of the party? Why does he need to make his unawareness obvious on twitter? Who wrote this book? Obviously a journalist but his/her name isn't even mentioned. What's the point of the launch if the writer is absent? This example on twitter shows that politicians from different parties are no different from one another in terms of mindset, all slave mentality and no original thought. Jumping on conclusions without asking questions and spreading them. Except for those who ask "why"? Respect for abidifactor for taking several seconds to ask this question.
@ahmad: Do you have any proof ?
@guest
KP has highest literacy rate in the country. Educate yourself first before posting such comments. Perception is NOT reality
In all fairness the book launch has been cancelled no ban on the book is in place. Having said that Shah Farman seems to be indulging in matters that perhaps do overstep his authority and common sense. If the reason is security than I can understand but none other. At the same time im sorry to say most people in Pakistan and Pakistanis abroad really dont care too much about Ms. Malala and quite frankly aside from an uproar in a few small circles for the most part this isnt even news for the majority.
IK is about to get a very rude awakening. I regretfully voted for PTI in May, but the kind of people he has onboard now are cut from the same cloth as the ones he so colorfully insults - and his soft on Taliban stance will isolate him even further from the international community. It's a no-win situation.
Why is this the banner headline? This paper should decide which country it is being published in. Stop promoting US policies in Pakistan and do not forget the Journalism honour code. Be fare and keep your priorities aside. A news item should not become tainted one.
A very good step since Malala is part of a game of America!!!!
@Guest: more than punjab.
pti should sack it's media team.... book was never banned.
Please see the linkages of Malala with international arena, then analyze. if they cannot stop drones atlteast stop their endorsed book.
Kaptaan does not even know how to run a party. His party takes a decision and he is confused? Didn't they ask him?
Ban set aside, how many in KP are literate enough to read