President Zardari: Govt is determined to equip children with education

Radio Pakistan

President Asif Ali Zardari says government is determined to equip the children‚ particularly the girls‚ with education. He was speaking at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham where he has gone to enquire about the health of Malala Yousufzai.

He said our response to the attack on Malala Yousufzai is to further promote education and fight the extremist mindset in the country. The President said the government would continue Malala's mission to promote girls education and defeat those‚ who wanted to deny the girls their rightful place. Appreciating the courage and conviction of Malala the President said that the nation's spontaneous response to the cowardly attack on her and her friends demonstrated that the people of Pakistan rejected extremism and militancy. He said that the nation is proud of Malala and her schoolmates Shazia and Kainaat. The President thanked the British Government and the management of Queen Elizabeth Hospital for providing best possible medical care to Malala Yousafzai. The Medical Director of Queen Elizabeth Hospital informed the President that Malala is steadily progressing. The President accompanied by Aseefa Bhutto Zardari then met Malala Yousufzai and remained with her for some time. Malala Yousafzai thanked the President and Aseefa Bhutto Zardari for prompt arrangements for her evacuation and subsequent treatment at the best hospitals in Pakistan and the UK. She said that Shaheed Benazir Bhutto was her role model and she would endeavour to follow her footsteps. Aseefa Bhutto Zardari presented a shawl to Malala on the occasion.