Courage, thy name is Malala

Gunmen left Malala Yousufzai fighting for her life on Tuesday, when they fired on the children’s rights activist and her schoolmates in a van in Mingora’s Sharifabad area, as they were headed home from school. Following a pre-meditated plan, the gunmen stopped the school van, asked which one of the children Malala was, and then opened fire, hitting her in the head and another student, Shazia, in the arm. Ms Yousufzai courageously spoke out against the closure of schools and efforts by the Taliban to deny women an education. The shocking incident is a symbol of the kind of values the Taliban represent, the kind of values that no Pakistani can empathise with, that will find no market here and that every citizen of this country will stand up to take a bullet for if need be. After initially coming to attention because of the poignant diary she wrote for the BBC Urdu service website, Malala was nominated for the 2011 Children’s Peace Prize and was conferred the first National Peace Prize the same year. The Taliban not only claimed responsibility for the shooting, but issued a chilling warning that attempts on her life would continue if she survived this attack.

Let it be clear: the Taliban will find no friends among Pakistanis. For the last few months, they have repeatedly made clear their agenda to challenge the writ of the Pakistani state and target those very assets which are the pride of the Pakistani nation. This is as great a warning as we can receive. The Pakistani government and military, which has absolutely failed to protect its citizens in especially the northern border areas, must now do what taxpayers employ them to do: govern and protect, respectively. How is it possible that a few score can hold a country of 180 million hostage? How is it possible that our children are not safe from such barbarous violence? When will it end and when will Malala be able to go to school without looking over her shoulder, fearing for her life? These questions must be answered and now – lest in a few weeks we forget the price Malala had to pay for voicing her innocent and just claim to an education and a bright future in the world. Her family have vowed to remain in Swat and continue their struggle. Malala has not yet regained consciousness and well-wishers across the country continue to pray for her health. The least the government can now do is protect her against the future threats which have been so boldly delivered already, even before she was out of the operation theatre after one attack.

The Punjab Chief Minister must be held to his promise of treatment abroad, while the President should be made to make good on the air ambulance he spoke of, as and when it is required. Since Ms Yousufzai has suffered a brain injury, she will require specialized and sensitive treatment for a full recovery, which must be provided by the state which failed to protect her in the first place.