Malala day

As the world observed Saturday (November 10) as the Malala Day, the UNESCO\'s Education for All Global Monitoring Report has ranked Pakistan among 10 rock bottom countries, the world over, in girls\' education. According to this alarming report, 62 per cent of girls in Pakistan, between the ages of seven and 15, have never seen the inside of a school. This situation my defuse the impact of the struggle of Malala Yousufzai, the 15-year old girl from Swat who almost lost her life in standing opposition to the Taliban ideology against women\'s education. The Taliban, in the process of promoting their concept of how Pakistan should be, particularly targeted women\'s schools and their professional and vocation training centers across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas. By marking Nov 10 as Malala Day, the United Nations took a positive step to win a global solidarity for the girl who stood up against monsters when the forces of despondency want Pakistani society never to reach a progressive and enlightened mannerism. The UN decision has let the world, especially Pakistan, know that Malala\'s efforts have not been in vain and that her spirit and cause should be championed by the world at large. Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is also the UN ambassador for global education and was in Pakistan on the Malala Day, presented to Pakistan\'s government a petition signed by one million people to show their support for Malala Yousafzai. Simultaneously, rights campaigners in the UK are pushing to have Malala nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and so far about, 100,000 people have signed the petition and the momentum is only picking up. Therefore, this is not just support; it is across-the-board solidarity for Malala who has become a universal symbol of resistance against Taliban ideology. Mr Gordon Brown also informed the Pakistani government that a Malala Foundation has been set up to honour the young girl and to campaign for the 32 million girls around the world who are deprived of education and whom Malala wanted to do get educated before she was cruelly shot in the head after the Pakistani Taliban showed the whole world just how brutal they could be by shooting a teen aged girl for the crime of wanting to obtain education. Malala\'s clarion call has also shaken the world at large as President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan said while commencing a four-day of visit of Indian on Saturday that his country would hunt for Taliban for the attack. In addition to all these heart-warming accolades the world rejoiced to celebrate this young warrior but schoolgirls in Malala\'s hometown of Mingora were unable to pay tribute in public because of fears of the Taliban retaliation. This fear confined Malala\'s class fellows toonly hold a candlelight vigil and prayed for her safety. The two young girls, Kainaat Riaz and Shazia Ramzan, who were injured during the attempted murder of Malala Yousafzai still look over their shoulder in fear as they do not feel safe. They may be haunted by the memory of the shooting but they have not backed down from wanting an education and risking their lives to get it. No matter where in the world, Malala has been honoured and prayed for on November 10 by everyone who has a heart. If there is one thing sure to make the militants see red, it must be the fact that they have made a hero out of their innocent target. The fact that Malala is now in the spotlight must be used to further the cause of girls education. All provincial governments must wake up from their slumber and actually see how young girls are being denied their fundamental right to education. It is paramount that these governments join hands with all those nations that support Malala\'s cause by concentrating on the education of this country\'s youth. Seizing upon a World Bank assistance, President Zaradari announced the other day that a cash stipend will be provided to three million families to ensure their children are educated. One hopes to see this fervour remain after the Malala affair tones down. The Taliban are counting on us forgetting this young angel soon but Pakistan must not let the spirit died down. Let Taliban be defeated on this front.