By Amir Zia
Monday, October 13, 2014
The News
Malala has shown us the way...She will remain an icon of courage, grit and resolve. But can our politicians now fulfil their responsibility please? Can they work to make Pakistan peaceful and safe so that Malala can return home?... This young life needs to be celebrated.
After a long, long time, Pakistanis have a genuine reason to celebrate an unprecedented feat of a local champion. It is after ages that Pakistan has hit the headlines in the world media for all the right reasons – thanks to Malala Yousafzai, the teenage girl who courageously stood against the dark forces opposing girls’ education in her hometown of Swat, took a bullet to the head for her defiance and fortunately lived to fight on.
The Nobel Peace Prize, which Malala shares with an Indian child rights campaigner, Kailash Satyarthi, is an acknowledgement of the way she fought for the right of girls to education despite her tender age.
Malala “has shown by example that children and young people too can contribute to improving their own situations,” said Thorbjorn Jagland, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, while paying tribute to her. “This she has done under the most dangerous circumstances. Through her heroic struggle she has become a leading spokesperson for girls' rights to education.”
Malala, 17, is now the youngest ever Nobel Laureate. But she was barely 12 years old when in 2009 she started her crusade against the Taliban in Swat and their attempts to close the doors of education on girls. She wrote a blog under the pen name ‘Gul Makai’ for the BBC, highlighting life under the oppressive Taliban rule. Her ‘Diary of a Pakistani schoolgirl’ made the world aware of the plight of all Malalas…and the brutal nature of conflict in one of Pakistan’s most scenic and once serene mountainous regions.
“The night was filled with the noise of artillery fire and I woke up three times. But since there was no school I got up later at 10 am. Afterwards, my friend came over and we discussed our homework. Today is 15 January, the last day before the Taliban’s edict comes into effect, and my friend was discussing homework as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened,” she wrote in one of her dispatches.
The Pakistan Army ousted the Mullah Fazlullah-led Taliban out of Swat valley, and life started getting back to an apparent normality. But the danger of Taliban sleeper cells and terrorist attacks continued to haunt the residents of the region – especially all those who stood against the militants. Malala was a marked target as she continued with her campaign.
On October 9, 2012, Malala was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman. Two of her other classmates – Kainat Riaz and Shazia Ramazan – were also wounded in the attack. It was a sheer miracle that Malala survived as the bullet did not enter her brain. Within days, she was sent to England for further treatment.
Just like the fictional wizard boy Harry Potter, who survived the assault by the dark wizard, Lord Voldemort, Malala too become the girl ‘who lived.’ Sometimes real life events are stranger than fiction and transform humble mortals into legends.
And Malala not just lives, but continues to make waves, fighting all the demons and ghosts of intolerance, bigotry, extremism and terrorism while living abroad. Pakistan still is too unsafe a place for her to return to and live a normal life. Even before becoming the youngest ever Nobel laureate, Malala was an internationally-recognised voice for girls’ rights to education. Now she has become a more potent force.
Pakistanis do not have just this reason to celebrate Malala’s achievement; they also got a symbol to look up to. She is leading even through little actions. For instance after one of her teacher gave her the ‘big news’ that she won the Nobel Prize, she stuck with her remaining lessons. She did not rush back home to celebrate the big day with her family or jumped into the media limelight to deliver the Nobel Prize acceptance speech. She took her time. And when she spoke to the world it was yet again a powerful message given with all earnestness, but with remarkable humility. “I really believe in tolerance and patience. I used to say that I do not think I deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. I still believe that”, she said while talking to the media in Birmingham. “I decided that I would speak up. Through my story I want to tell other children all around the world they should stand up for their rights… They should not wait for someone else. This award is especially for them, it gives them courage.”
All our politicians – those trying to dislodge the government and those wanting to save it – should learn from the maturity, grace and poise of young Malala how to carry themselves during an ordeal or in triumph.
Malala’s accomplishment also underscores the mind-boggling paradox of the Pakistan society which can produce 21st century men and women as well as those who are incompatible with the modern times. The polarisation between those who stand for peace, tolerance, education and progress and those fighting to impose their narrow and intolerant worldview by hook or by crook could not have been starker.
The gravest challenge for the Pakistani society is how to defeat those forces that abhor our Malalas and justify acts of terrorism and suicide bombings by exploiting the sacred name of Islam. In this day and age, Al-Qaeda, its foreign and local allies and the extremist mindset, which thrives in society in many forms, vehemently oppose initiatives like girls’ education to polio vaccination drives.
Operation Zarb-e-Azb is one way of blunting their deadly designs, but the more important aspect to this make-or-break struggle for Pakistan is defeating this mindset. Unfortunately, it cannot be done with the barrel of the gun alone. It requires winning the battle of the narrative and defeating extremist ideology. Here, the civil society and our political parties – both in the government and the opposition – need to take the lead. So far, our politicians have not shown the kind of commitment and vision needed to confront this existentialist internal threat to Pakistan.
Many of our political and mainstream religious parties chose to remain silent or only offered lip service to the cause of the fight against extremism and terrorism. Many politicians – either because of fear for their lives or simple expediency – still want to push the policy aimed at appeasing these non-state actors.
These efforts failed in the past and only made the situation more complex. This tried, tested and failed formula won’t be able to do the trick even now. The civil leadership needs to do a lot more than offering mere statements that they support Operation Zarb-e-Azb. It needs to take ownership of this fight and work extra hard to mobilise public opinion against these forces for unity, peace and progress in Pakistan.
Young Malala has shown us the way. She is likely to carry the cross and live up to the extra burden and responsibility which the Nobel Peace prize has placed on her. She will be a symbol and inspiration for many, both young and old, not just for girls’ right to education, but also for peace and tolerance in society. She will remain an icon of courage, grit and resolve. But can our politicians now fulfil their responsibility please? Can they work to make Pakistan peaceful and safe so that Malala can return home? Can they learn something from Malala? Can you and I emulate her footsteps – even a few baby steps?
This young life needs to be celebrated. The girl ‘who lived’ is of our own modern-day folklore… another legend. But the story is not yet over. It is still in the making.
Monday, October 13, 2014
The News
Malala has shown us the way...She will remain an icon of courage, grit and resolve. But can our politicians now fulfil their responsibility please? Can they work to make Pakistan peaceful and safe so that Malala can return home?... This young life needs to be celebrated.
After a long, long time, Pakistanis have a genuine reason to celebrate an unprecedented feat of a local champion. It is after ages that Pakistan has hit the headlines in the world media for all the right reasons – thanks to Malala Yousafzai, the teenage girl who courageously stood against the dark forces opposing girls’ education in her hometown of Swat, took a bullet to the head for her defiance and fortunately lived to fight on.
The Nobel Peace Prize, which Malala shares with an Indian child rights campaigner, Kailash Satyarthi, is an acknowledgement of the way she fought for the right of girls to education despite her tender age.
Malala “has shown by example that children and young people too can contribute to improving their own situations,” said Thorbjorn Jagland, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, while paying tribute to her. “This she has done under the most dangerous circumstances. Through her heroic struggle she has become a leading spokesperson for girls' rights to education.”
Malala, 17, is now the youngest ever Nobel Laureate. But she was barely 12 years old when in 2009 she started her crusade against the Taliban in Swat and their attempts to close the doors of education on girls. She wrote a blog under the pen name ‘Gul Makai’ for the BBC, highlighting life under the oppressive Taliban rule. Her ‘Diary of a Pakistani schoolgirl’ made the world aware of the plight of all Malalas…and the brutal nature of conflict in one of Pakistan’s most scenic and once serene mountainous regions.
“The night was filled with the noise of artillery fire and I woke up three times. But since there was no school I got up later at 10 am. Afterwards, my friend came over and we discussed our homework. Today is 15 January, the last day before the Taliban’s edict comes into effect, and my friend was discussing homework as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened,” she wrote in one of her dispatches.
The Pakistan Army ousted the Mullah Fazlullah-led Taliban out of Swat valley, and life started getting back to an apparent normality. But the danger of Taliban sleeper cells and terrorist attacks continued to haunt the residents of the region – especially all those who stood against the militants. Malala was a marked target as she continued with her campaign.
On October 9, 2012, Malala was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman. Two of her other classmates – Kainat Riaz and Shazia Ramazan – were also wounded in the attack. It was a sheer miracle that Malala survived as the bullet did not enter her brain. Within days, she was sent to England for further treatment.
Just like the fictional wizard boy Harry Potter, who survived the assault by the dark wizard, Lord Voldemort, Malala too become the girl ‘who lived.’ Sometimes real life events are stranger than fiction and transform humble mortals into legends.
And Malala not just lives, but continues to make waves, fighting all the demons and ghosts of intolerance, bigotry, extremism and terrorism while living abroad. Pakistan still is too unsafe a place for her to return to and live a normal life. Even before becoming the youngest ever Nobel laureate, Malala was an internationally-recognised voice for girls’ rights to education. Now she has become a more potent force.
Pakistanis do not have just this reason to celebrate Malala’s achievement; they also got a symbol to look up to. She is leading even through little actions. For instance after one of her teacher gave her the ‘big news’ that she won the Nobel Prize, she stuck with her remaining lessons. She did not rush back home to celebrate the big day with her family or jumped into the media limelight to deliver the Nobel Prize acceptance speech. She took her time. And when she spoke to the world it was yet again a powerful message given with all earnestness, but with remarkable humility. “I really believe in tolerance and patience. I used to say that I do not think I deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. I still believe that”, she said while talking to the media in Birmingham. “I decided that I would speak up. Through my story I want to tell other children all around the world they should stand up for their rights… They should not wait for someone else. This award is especially for them, it gives them courage.”
All our politicians – those trying to dislodge the government and those wanting to save it – should learn from the maturity, grace and poise of young Malala how to carry themselves during an ordeal or in triumph.
Malala’s accomplishment also underscores the mind-boggling paradox of the Pakistan society which can produce 21st century men and women as well as those who are incompatible with the modern times. The polarisation between those who stand for peace, tolerance, education and progress and those fighting to impose their narrow and intolerant worldview by hook or by crook could not have been starker.
The gravest challenge for the Pakistani society is how to defeat those forces that abhor our Malalas and justify acts of terrorism and suicide bombings by exploiting the sacred name of Islam. In this day and age, Al-Qaeda, its foreign and local allies and the extremist mindset, which thrives in society in many forms, vehemently oppose initiatives like girls’ education to polio vaccination drives.
Operation Zarb-e-Azb is one way of blunting their deadly designs, but the more important aspect to this make-or-break struggle for Pakistan is defeating this mindset. Unfortunately, it cannot be done with the barrel of the gun alone. It requires winning the battle of the narrative and defeating extremist ideology. Here, the civil society and our political parties – both in the government and the opposition – need to take the lead. So far, our politicians have not shown the kind of commitment and vision needed to confront this existentialist internal threat to Pakistan.
Many of our political and mainstream religious parties chose to remain silent or only offered lip service to the cause of the fight against extremism and terrorism. Many politicians – either because of fear for their lives or simple expediency – still want to push the policy aimed at appeasing these non-state actors.
These efforts failed in the past and only made the situation more complex. This tried, tested and failed formula won’t be able to do the trick even now. The civil leadership needs to do a lot more than offering mere statements that they support Operation Zarb-e-Azb. It needs to take ownership of this fight and work extra hard to mobilise public opinion against these forces for unity, peace and progress in Pakistan.
Young Malala has shown us the way. She is likely to carry the cross and live up to the extra burden and responsibility which the Nobel Peace prize has placed on her. She will be a symbol and inspiration for many, both young and old, not just for girls’ right to education, but also for peace and tolerance in society. She will remain an icon of courage, grit and resolve. But can our politicians now fulfil their responsibility please? Can they work to make Pakistan peaceful and safe so that Malala can return home? Can they learn something from Malala? Can you and I emulate her footsteps – even a few baby steps?
This young life needs to be celebrated. The girl ‘who lived’ is of our own modern-day folklore… another legend. But the story is not yet over. It is still in the making.
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