Speakers at a seminar said that Malala Yousufzai is the beacon of hope for Pakistani nation and our future generations for peaceful life. They demanded equal rights and equal opportunities for women and girls to education. They expressed these views in a seminar organised by South Asia Free Media Association (Safma) and South Asia Women in Media (SAWM) in connection with Malala Day. Large number of students from different educational institutions attended the seminar.
Speakers demanded that Taliban who have attacked Malala must be brought to book by all possible means and those who are in any way or in any pretext whosoever try to cover up or justify the accused Taliban and terrorists are no less worse and should be censured through public opinion.
Speakers passionately talked about Malala Yousufzai and her struggle for freedom of education and equality for the masses in Pakistan. The guests said that Malala had raised the flag for freedom and equality because of which she was targeted by extremist elements. They said that now it our turn to stand up against those who have become a threat to our way of life and future.
Speaking on the occasion, Senior lawyer and human rights activist Abid Hassan Manto said that government should play its role for creating awareness among the students about these extremist elements and their thoughts. He said we should need a movement against this mind set. Dean Beacon House National University Saleema Hashmi said that Pakistan is one of those 10 unfortunate countries in the world, which does not provide a proper education for girls and that it was very unfortunate that some of the country's politicians have failed to admit the facts about the attack on Malala.
Senior Advocate Supreme Court S.M. Masood and PPP MNA Yasmeen Rehman also echoed these sentiments and demanded that some serious, unified and decisive action must be taken against those extremist elements who are threatening the sovereignty. They stressed their hope that United Nations and the international community help Pakistani organisations build more schools for girls.