Malala’s speech in UN hailed in her hometown

Reuters/Islamabad

The-16-year-old Kainat Riaz, who was among the two girls who sustained injuries in October 2009 attack on Malala Yousafzai in Swat, said that her speech was inspirational and she listened to it attentively.

“I have been waiting to listen to my friend’s speech and as per my expectations it revolved round the girls’ education,” she said.

She said that it was encouraging to listen to Malala advocating for women’s education. Majority of the students heard her and termed it a welcome development that Malala was determined to see women around the world educated.

Spogmay, a class 8th student in Mingora, said she didn’t understand English well, but her father translated it for her.

“I like Malala. She is a role model for not only Swati women but also for all female around the world,” she said. “She gave us the message of tolerance and forgiveness which we take seriously”.

Already, Malala has become a symbol of courage and beacon of hope for girl students, who are now pursuing their studies more vigorously than before, she added.

Kaniat said that the situation with regard to women’s education had improved a lot and the students were attending schools fearlessly, but she still feared militants.

“My case is quite different as I have become a symbol of girls’ education due to which I faced problems from Taliban,” she said.

According to Kainat, the government has provided her security, but still fear and danger loom over her head.

About her studies, she said that she had passed secondary school certificate examination this year with good marks, but had not taken admission in college yet.

“I have been given admission in Birmingham College, UK, where Malala is studying. Shazia Ramzan, another student, who was among the injured, also proceeded to the UK and was offered scholarship in the same college,” she said.

The British High Commission, Islamabad, is processing her visa. “In near future, I am sure of getting the visa because the UK government has asked me not to seek admission in Pakistan,” an upbeat Kainat said.

“My aim is to become a doctor and serve the women of Swat,” she said of her future plans. She said that she also wanted to struggle for the promotion of women’s education in Swat where Taliban had played havoc with education infrastructure during 2007 to 2009.

Khushal Public School, where she studied along with Malala Yousafzai, is closed for summer vacation, but teachers there said that there was no fear of Taliban now.

“The students enjoyed studies. Malala’s incident has given them courage and they feel emboldened,” a senior teacher Abdul Hameed said.

Hameed, 51, said that the students listened to Malala’s speech at the UN General Assembly. “Her speech will encourage the students. Majority of her classmates regarded her as a brave girl and they gave receptive ears to her speech at the world’s highest forum,” he said.

A class 9th student wishing she not be named said that she had been talking on Skype with Malala and enjoyed speaking to her.

“She was always a role model for me even before the incident which brought her to spotlight internationally. I found her speech very nice,” she said.

Kainat’s father Riaz Ahmed, a schoolteacher, says that his daughter is jubilant to proceed to the UK for education where she would reunite with Malala and Shazia.

Majority of the girls are now sure that education is important due to which Taliban prevented them from schools, he said.