Johnson Cherian.
Nobel Laureate Malala Yousufzai returned to Pakistan on a brief visit in the early hours of Thursday, five and half years after she was critically injured in a Taliban attack at her hometown Swat.
“Today I am very happy. After five and a half years I have stepped on my soil again. I can’t believe it that this is happening. I have been dreaming about returning to my country since I left. When I travel to cities like London or New York I always imagined that I am driving in Islamabad or Karachi ,” Ms. Yousufzai said.
She overcame tears to describe her experience of the past few years. “Although I’m just 20 but I have seen a lot. Everything was happening — living in a beautiful area then attack happened and I left the country. I would have never left the country had the doctors not advised to get treatment in UK,” she said.
Ms. Yousufzai said she always dreamt of returning to the country and living a peaceful life. “Pakistan’s future is with young generation and education. We have to work together for that. We have invested more than 6 million dollars in girl education in Pakistan. I hope we can all join our hands to ensure that all of the children get education and women can stand up on their feet,” she said amid applause from the Prime Minister and the cabinet members.
Accompanied by her father Ziauddin and younger brother, Ms. Yousufzai arrived past midnight at Islamabad Airport. She will remain in Pakistan for four days.
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said Ms. Yousufzai is one of the most prominent Pakistanis in the world. “I would say we are honoured to have you back and hope that you return permanently. We will provide you all the security you need,” he said.
Ms. Yousufzai emphasised on the need for education in Pakistan. “I will work for improving education in my country, particularly girls’ education as women should stand on their feet,” she said.
Ms. Yousufzai along with her friends were attacked in the Swat Valley in 2012. She was shot in the head and face, butsurvived after she was taken to the U.K. in an air ambulance.
She was awarded Nobel Peace Prize in December 2014. She has established the Malala Foundation which works for promotion of girls’ education worldwide.
