Friday, March 29, 2024
spot_img

Pak girl who dared Taliban awarded

Date:

Share post:

spot_img
spot_img

Islamabad: A Pakistani girl Malala Yousufzai, who spoke out for children’s rights in the restive Swat valley when it was controlled by the Taliban was on Thursday conferred the nations new National Peace Prize.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani announced that 13-year-old Yousufzai would be conferred the National Peace Prize and a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh. The government made the decision after Yousufzai was nominated for the International Peace Prize for Children in recognition of her services for peace and education.

Though the international award went to a South African girl, Yousufzai, a student of Class 8, has said she is determined to campaign for girls’ education and children’s rights.

Gilani extended felicitations to Yousufzai and her family on her achievements. He directed the Cabinet Division to institute the National Peace Prize to be awarded every year to children under 18 years of age for contributions to peace and education.

Yousufzai was one of five nominees, chosen from 98 children from 42 countries, for the international award.

She came to prominence when, as an 11-year-old, she wrote about the Taliban banning girls’ schools in the picturesque Swat valley.

She was a victim of the ban imposed by the Taliban on education for girls in the troubled Swat region over two years ago. She wrote about her pain and anguish in a diary for BBC Urdu.

Asked why she started her campaign for girls’ rights, Yousufzai said the violence in Swat had “a huge impact” on her mind. She said she wanted the rest of the world to stop describing the people of Swat as terrorists as they were peaceful and loving.

Her diary entries included discussions with classmates about the Taliban, who then controlled most of the Swat Valley and publicly executed dozens of people who opposed them. In one entry, she described a “terrible dream” about military helicopters and the Taliban.

The Pakistan government sent the army into Swat to flush out the militants in early 2009 after the Taliban began extending their influence to districts located 100 km from Islamabad.

Hundreds of Taliban fighters were captured or killed but most of the top commanders, including Mullah Fazlullah, managed to escape. (PTI)

spot_img
spot_img

Related articles

Riyan, bowlers propel Rajasthan Royals to 12-run win over Delhi

Jaipur, March 28: Riyan Parag enthralled the home fans by smashing an eye-catchy unbeaten 84 off just 45...

Arunachal was, is, and will remain an integral part of India: MEA

New Delhi, Mar 28:  The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday that China's repetitive claims on...

SP injured in Arunachal’s Longding as crowd pelt stones during scrutiny of nominations

Itanagar, March 28: Superintendent of Police of Arunachal Pradesh's Longding district, Dekio Gumja, was injured after some people...

Aditi Rao Hydari confirms union with Siddharth

Shillong, March 28: Actress Aditi Rao Hydari, who secretly got engaged to actor Siddharth on Wednesday, confirmed their...