Malala Yousufzai continues to struggle for life. In a targeted action on October 9, obscurantist Taliban militants shot down the 14-year old girl in Mingora, the administrative headquarters of the Swat Valley which the Taliban dominated between 2007 and 2009. Ms Malala had then championed the cause of girls– education because the Taliban opposed sending girls to schools. The attack on the ‘symbol of girls– education’ in Swat has invited widespread condemnation from all over the world.
CRSS hopes Malala will recuperate from the critical surgery she went through Wednesday morning whereby surgeons successfully removed the bullet that had penetrated her skull. Doctors said that Malala was still in critical condition and that is why advised shifting her to capital Islamabad.
CRSS urges the Pakistani authorities to track down and punish those responsible for this cowardly and barbaric act against a young girl who only wants and advocates education for the girls of her home-town. The government has offered to send her abroad for treatment but such a step is contingent upon the panel of surgeons looking after her.
CRSS also hopes this incident serves as a trigger for a comprehensive and unambiguous strategic review of the defense policies that the security apparatus had pursued until recently. Without a categorical position on various shades of radical militants known as the Taliban it will become very difficult to counter the monstrous militancy.
As an expression of solidarity with Malala and her family, CRSS requested a few noted foreign scholars and experts for their reaction on the tragic incident. These reactions are being reproduced below. This post also includes statements by world leaders.
Reactions
Peter Knoope, Director International Center for Counter-Terrorism, The Hague, Netherlands
If the Taliban in Pakistan ever had any legitimacy; they have lost every inch of it by the attack onMalala Yousafzaiyesterday. If an act of political violence is above all a message, than what is the message here?Is it that Taliban are capable of attacking a 14 year old schoolgirl?Is it that Taliban have lost the capacity to speak, have they lost all arguments? Is this what “losing the debate” looks like? Is the message that under potential future Taliban regime children should be frightened to be attacked by their own rulers? What message are they trying to send us other than their total failure?
Malala Yousafzai and her schoolmates will survive; more brave young schoolgirls will follow. If the Taliban really and seriously want to be part and wish to survive as well, they better start thinking about their messaging and what they have to offer to the new generation.
Jeffrey Laurenti, Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation, Washington, USA
This is a truly shocking incident. If the killing of Governor Taseer could not shake up Pakistani society, can we at least hope that a brazen mafia-style hit on a 14-year-old girl might outrage the country? It could be any senator’s or general’s daughter.
Malala Yousafzai won admiration across Pakistan and the world for bravely insisting, in an inhospitable locale, that girls have the same right as boys to dream and to fulfill their dreams.
Medieval-minded Taliban sickeningly respond to young Pakistanis– aspirations with a bullet to the head ´ a moral evil evocative of America Ku Klux Klan and Europe fascists.
The world prayers are, first of all, with Malala and her family: Courage!And we hope and pray that Pakistan leaders will reaffirm its traditional tolerance, recommit to cleanse the country of all perpetrators of such violence — and this time do it!
Imtiaz Alam, Secretary General, South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA)
These barbarians who attacked Malala Yousafzaii have shown their true inhuman, anti-Pakistan colors and the people of Pakistan must stand up and fight them to the bitter end. Where does Pak Army and defenders of our faith stand with Malala and our future generations or Taliban and their likes, not to mention Imran Khan who went Tank to defend these murders of humanity?
Vinod Sharma, Political Editor, Hindustan Times, India
The attack on Malala shows that illiteracy is the life blood of terrorism. The marauders’ motto: seek knowledge, get death.
Hassan Abbas, Academic and Senior Advisor Asia Society – Washington DC, USA
It is simply heartbreaking and very painful. My first instinctive reaction was to write a piece on the gory incident titled ‘Shame on you Pakistan’. Of course, the whole of Pakistan can’t be blamed for this but clearly some are more responsible than the others. Security forces (both military and civil) are on top of this list. It is their primary responsibility to safeguard citizens. Government of Pakistan as well as provincial government of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa must be asked about the funds that are dedicated to local police, federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to analyze threats in the area and implement security policy. The question is why those under severe threat from extremists are not being provided security – a basic right.
General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, Army Chief, Pakistan
The cowards who attacked Malala and her fellow students have time and again shown how little regard they have for human life and how low they can stoop to impose their twisted ideology. This is not the first time that militants had targeted children; the attack on Parade Lane in Rawalpindi was a reminder of their bloodlust.
By attacking Malala, the terrorists have failed to understand that she is not only an individual, but an icon of courage and hope, which vindicates the sacrifices that the people of Swat and the nation had given for saving the valley from the plague of terrorism.
These are the intrinsic values of an Islamic society, based on the principles of liberty, justice and equality of man. Islam guarantees each individual ´ male or female ´ equal and inalienable right to life, property and human dignity, with faith and education as the chief obligations to achieve enlightenment. We wish to bring home a simple message: We refuse to bow before terror. We will fight, regardless of the cost we will prevail. It is time we united and stood up to fight the propagators of such barbaric mindset and their sympathisers.
Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General, United Nations
Like so many others in Pakistan and around the world I am truly outraged by this attack. And to express my support I am writing to the family of Malala Yousufzai. Those responsible for this heinous and cowardly act should be swiftly brought to justice. I am deeply moved by Yousufzai courageous efforts to promote a right to education.
Leila Zerrougui, Head of the United Nations Children Fund
Education is a fundamental right for all children. The (Pakistani Taliban) must respect the right to education of all children, including girls, to go to school and live in peace.
Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, US
Malala was attacked by extremists who do not want girls to have an education or speak for themselves. She has been very brave in standing up for the rights of girls in the area she belongs to. The teenage peace activist was attacked and shot by extremists who don–t want girls to become leaders, and are threatened by that kind of empowerment.
Our efforts should be to support women who struggle against tradition, culture, outright hostility and violence to pursue theirpotential.
John Baird, Foreign Affairs Minister, Canada
I condemn in the strongest possible terms the actions of gunmen in Pakistan who shot a 14-year-old girl for speaking out against the Taliban and in favour of girls– right to an education. On behalf of all Canadians, I extend our thoughts and prayers to her and to others who were injured in the shooting.
Our shared humanity requires those who cherish freedom to speak clearly and with one voice: this type of savage violence and repression will not be tolerated. I welcome the Prime Minister of Pakistan condemnation of this attack and urge Pakistani authorities to hold accountable those responsible for this cowardly and senseless act.
US White House
As part of our offer, the US military has agreed to provide air ambulance and medical treatment at a facility suitable for her condition if it becomes necessary.
The US has strongly condemned the shooting, and that directing violence at children is barbaric and cowardly. Our hearts go out to her and the others who were wounded, as well as their families.