The civil society of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa arranged different functions to express solidarity and pledge support to courageous and brave endeavour of Malala Yousufzai for education and child rights during the height of extremism in district Swat.
In this connection one function was held under the Citizens Rights and Sustainable Development (CRSD), which was attended by political activists, human rights activists, and students, women and media personnel. Mian Iftikhar Hussein, the spokesman of the provincial government was the chief guest on the occasion.
The second function was held within the auspices of Pakhtun Students Federation (PkSF), students' wing of ANP in Bacha Khan Markaz with the central president of the federation, Bashir Khan Sherpao as chief guest. Addressing the function, Professor Dr Sarfaraz Ahmad said that with the rendering of sacrifice, Malala Yousufzai has become the symbol of the struggle for human rights. He was of the view that the observing of the Malala Day has not only increased the prestige of Pakistan, but also of the United Nations.
He appreciated the pledge of the Federal Government for enrolling 3 million more children in schools. However, he called for creation of awareness and declaration of depriving children of education as a big sin and crime and terming such act as terrorism. He also called for making special legislation and promotion of the modern education of science and technology in the future generations of Pakhtuns. He announced full support to the petition for recommending Malala Yousufzai for UN Peace Nobel Prize.
Arbab Mujeeb-ur-Rehman, provincial general secretary, Pakhtunkhwa Mili Awami Party (PMAP) attributed attack on Malala to the enemies of education, who have destroyed one thousand schools in the province. He said threats to both children and their teachers are looming large.
He said that the aim and objective of anti-education elements is to deprive the Pakhtuns and Afghan nation of education and keep them in darkness about their history and culture. He called for taking action against all those organisations, which are involved in the terrorist activities.
Coming hard on the extremists and militants, he said that the attack on Malala Yousufzai and her friends is tantamount to attack on the whole Pakhtun nation, saying resistance against such elements is the responsibility of all nationalist and human rightists.
President, Peshawar University Teachers Association (PUTA), said that Pakhtun nation is proud of their brave daughter Malala Yousufzai, who has become symbol of education for the whole world. He said that she had given a new spirit to the people, saying she had worked for securing the ideological frontiers of Pakistan.
Yasmin Katozai, an ANP woman MPA said that the straight forwardness and unequivocal stand of their party leadership has bracketed those few nations, which have succeeded in coming out of difficult time with their own struggle. She said that their only agenda is bringing the country out of the present situation. Provincial president, National Party (NP), Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Mukhtar Bacha urged Pakhtuns to concentrate on promotion of education and urged all nationalist forces to join hands in the war against terrorism, which he termed a war of salvation for Pakhtuns.