Pakistan

Malala aspires to be prime minister

During the interview, Malala called slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto as a major inspiration

News Desk October 04, 2015

During the interview, Malala called slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto as a major inspiration. PHOTO: AFP

Malala Yousafzai aspires to become the prime minister of Pakistan someday, the Press Trust of India reported on Saturday.

The teenage activist and Nobel laureate shared her hope while speaking with the India Today TV channel. During the interview, Malala called slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto as a major inspiration.

“Many people did not think that a woman can be a leader. Benazir has shown that a woman can be a leader," she told the TV channel. When asked if she, like Benazir, would want to become the prime minister of Pakistan, she said, "Hopefully, if people vote.”

Read: World has 'lost humanity' on Syria: Malala

“But my dream is to help children to get education," she said. "There are more ways to bring change in society."

Malala added that empowering the future generation against terrorism would require investment in education. "The weapons that we need are our books and pens, and our voice – that is the most important thing."

Published in The Express Tribune, October 4^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (45)

Fatima Batool | 9 years ago | Reply few days ago i was reading an news on http://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/288146-Malala-calls-on-PM-Nawaz-in-Norway- , seriously i dont understand pakistani politics.

goggi (Lahore) | 9 years ago | Reply Envy or jealousy are the highest and sincerest forms of recognition! And people who tend to evil jealousy; negative prejudices, verbal and physical violence, especially towards women and children, are mostly very stupid and shallow character people and submissive believers of very evil, inhuman and macho beliefs. “Books, Not Bullets,” Malala Yousafzai Urges at Oslo Summit!!! “THIRTY-NINE BILLION DOLLARS are spent on the world’s militaries in only 8 days,” she noted. "If the world leaders decide to take one week and a day off from war and military work, we can put every child in school. Weapons are the tools of destruction, it's very simple. A war can never end a war, and there is always loss of lives and destruction involved. Books are a better investment in our future than bullets. Books, not bullets, will pave the path towards peace and prosperity." - Malala Yousafzai

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komal s | 9 years ago | Reply @Agenda: She clearly said her priority is not politics. She is a school kid after all with a very pure intention to get all girl kids across the globe educated. What part of it bothers you?

someone | 9 years ago | Reply I think she may do a better job then current lot with her foreign education which is going to broaden her mindset.

Rex Minor | 9 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad: Dreaming big is a great thing but why Muslim Children only aspire to become Prime Ministers and Presidents Malal was probably thinking loud and the reporter did not understand the context. Her father is a teacher and most probably she will be happy to become a Professor in a university, if she is able to reach the Phd level. Rex Minor

Ali | 9 years ago | Reply I am incredibely sad at the sexist and misogynistic comments from my fellow Pakistanis. Look at the shameless fools who think they're cool by throwing in the "secular" slur. Pakistan is among the worst places in the world for women. It is clear from the comments Pakistanis want women to be nothing but silent and submissive housewives. Theres a reason why so many young Muslims are insecure about their faith. Theres a reason why so many Pakistani women dont want to marry Pakistani men. Its because of this culture where everything horrible and backwards is done in the name of Islam and then backed by mullahs.

khan | 9 years ago | Reply If Malala become PM then what the ageing Imran will do

Timorlane | 9 years ago | Reply Another Made in the West NRO Benazir Zardari in the making

Waseem | 9 years ago | Reply Greedy right from the beginning.

DJ | 9 years ago | Reply Another manufactured candidate from America. Fight propaganda Pakistan please.

abc | 9 years ago | Reply her passport must be confiscated.

such bolta hoon | 9 years ago | Reply Readers / Bloggers Well said @ Agenda @ Rollin & Trollin Clearly the issue is all about getting mileage. This girl is serving the interest of her masters who have a long-term strategy to install her in Pakistan. What exactly is her personal achievement. It's a shame that some naive Pakistanis are so impressed with her whinging stories.

Raj - USA | 9 years ago | Reply I was a great admirer of Malala. However, her repeated statements of wanting to become the P.M. and her role model Benazir is only very disappointing. The Malala I admired would have tried to become Perween Rahman, the social activist of Karachi and her ideal role model should have been Edhi sahib. Malala has never mentioned about any of them. I now tend to think that Malala was coached to become prominent but coached teachings only last for some time and you invariably make slips.

Ch. Allah Daad | 9 years ago | Reply Dreaming big is a great thing but why Muslim Children only aspire to become Prime Ministers and Presidents. Why don't they dream to become Einstein and Newton who changed whole world. She and any other Child who aspires to become President or Prime Minister of a country should understand that President of a Multi National Corporation is more powerful, more resourceful and in better position to change world than so called political leaders. Malala is a great inspiration to young girls, but she is not in a position to tackle leeches of our political horizon. She should never become another Imran Khan.

Zulfiqar Baig | 9 years ago | Reply Malala Yousafzai is Asset of West and West wants to invest.....

Rex Minor | 9 years ago | Reply No one can or should prevent Malala from living the childhood with day dreaming! Public service is not suitable for her age! Besides, the current incumbent dynasty is likely to hold the office for a very long time. Rex Minor

Sam | 9 years ago | Reply It's a good aspiration but we already have too many foreign trained politicians who have no clue about ground realities.

London Banker | 9 years ago | Reply Haha now all her haters will say, "see we told you so". Take it easy guys - No one can train someone to be a PM. The only way she can become PM is to join PMLN and rig the elections or come via the army. Neither seem plausible. Appreciate her for her courage and her ability to dream big and achieve big.

Parvez | 9 years ago | Reply No harm in aspiring.......

Khan | 9 years ago | Reply Then Bilawal must be a president

Point | 9 years ago | Reply Will she run the country from UK or USA ?

Ashraf | 9 years ago | Reply She will make a GREAT PM of Pakistan.

Rollin & Trollin | 9 years ago | Reply @such bolts hoon: Yes, this is what's called getting as much mileage as possible from an unfortunate (or fortunate ?) bullet to the head.

ahsan | 9 years ago | Reply Malala is being groomed to be pakistans secular western puppet prime minister.

such bolta hoon | 9 years ago | Reply This is what is called long-term strategy to engineer self-interest. Pakistani nation is too naive to understand what exactly is happening. My only question to the nation is why Edhi Sahib wasn't even shortlisted for his truly generous work for the nation and for the wider Ummah. Wake up Pakistanis!

Sajid Naveed | 9 years ago | Reply This is what it is.. Her aspiration and the West.

Agenda | 9 years ago | Reply It was clear from day one that she was being propped and trained to enter Pak Politics at some stage. Her sudden ascent to flame, noble peace prize, A grades...... all make sense now. Her contined education in UK when peace has returned to Swat is indicative of that. While her desire to promote education is good, I cant see as to how that makes her a better candidate for a future leader. If her "pecularity" is writing against taliban, then, there r thousands who have done so and lost their lives. None of them were afforded luxury of treatment in UK or peace prizes. Her own school friends who were shot at same time are living anonymous lives with no support from government. Edhi has shown to all that you dont need to be prime minister to do gud stuff; hence her ambitions can be best described as dubious. We need honest leaders but not the ones baked abroad.

Mehboob alam | 9 years ago | Reply Then let me prepare to be zardari......

Agent | 9 years ago | Reply I think she wants to be an Altaf Hussain version of Prime Minister...

Stranger | 9 years ago | Reply Pssssst I heard that she is 'set up ' by the west to take over as PM of Pak and then play PAK into their hands . could be true . who knows.

goggi (Lahore) | 9 years ago | Reply Malala is a very honest Pakhtoon activist girl, with great orator skills to enchant an international audience, unlike our present PM who has a frozen face and problems to open his lips while reciting a simple sentence of welcome!

Asad | 9 years ago | Reply Unfortunately her story is only popular in west. In Pakistan she will not even reach Qadri sb status.

Emad | 9 years ago | Reply When the west gives someone too much attention it is generally for a reason, and I guess this was the reason after all, to have someone of their choice in Pakistani government

jenetic | 9 years ago | Reply lol lobbies wont stop planting primiers in our country. Hats off to her cunning father. He is masterful player.

Haider Faridi | 9 years ago | Reply Good aspire but wrong inspiration....Doesn't Malala know Benazir had stolen Billions of dollars from Pakistan during her premiership?

Rollin & Trollin | 9 years ago | Reply Just don't marry someone like laughing boy..

Point | 9 years ago | Reply will she run the country from UK ?

Gulwant Singh Bedi | 9 years ago | Reply Malala should stay where she is. And do an excellent job of promoting students and women's rights. As she does The thugs, who run Pak, will eat her for lunch, if she aspire to be a PM. Sorry, will not happen.

voice of pakistan | 9 years ago | Reply Malala beta pehle monh dho lo...

Prakash | 9 years ago | Reply While the current Prime Minister wishes he were the COAS instead!

Raghu | 9 years ago | Reply Why is she still in the news. People are tiered of her and her dreams. She can join PPP and support Zardari. No more news on her Please....!

Gemini | 9 years ago | Reply Someone please tell me some contact info for becoming illuminati I want to become popular as well :P

ZeeAli | 9 years ago | Reply Oh Please give me a break!

Glowing Pakistan | 9 years ago | Reply Then please come back home. Live in USA and wanted to become PM of pak make no sense.

Adnan | 9 years ago | Reply Spoken like a real child

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