Arshad Ali

ISLAMABAD: Malala Day is being observed across the world including Pakistan on Saturday, Nov 10 to express solidarity with Malala Yousufzai, a children rights activist based in Swat for her cause of girl’s education.The day was announced by the United Nations (UN) General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon to honor the child activist for her unprecedented struggle for the cause of women education. Ban extended his support to the young girl and her fight for education, describing her as the “global symbol” of every girl’s right to an educationPakistan has welcomed the voices of solidarity with Malala Yousufzai and video message of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon in her support and education of girls.Pakistan’s Foreign Office, in its statement, said Pakistan hails all voices raised in support of Malala and the UN’s Secretary General Ban ki-Moon’s statement in this regard, adding the culprits of attack on her, will be brought to justice soon.In connection with the day, ‘Malala Zindabad convention’ was organized in Islamabad by United Nations’ member organization human rights observer. Resolutions to observe ‘Malala day’ every year, recommendation of her name for Nobel peace prize and establish education foundation after her name were adopted in the convention.The ceremony was attended by the representatives of different human rights organizations. They highlighted that Islam teaches humility, peace and urges to get education.The speakers said, the access to education is every Pakistani’s constitutional right after passage of 18th amendment and urged the masses to join hands with the government to achieve this goal. They said, attack on Malala unified the whole nation and we will not allow anyone to play with the future of country.President Asif Ali Zardari said Malala Yousufzai stands tall today as symbol of girls’ education and a symbol of defiance against those who wish to impose their obscurantist agenda behind the facade of religion. In his message on the occasion of “Malala Day” being observed worldwide today (Saturday), the President said “Malala Day” is being observed all over the world to express solidarity with the brave daughter of Pakistan Malala Yousufzai, who stood defiantly to the militants to pursue her education and refused to bow down to their threats and faced the bullets instead of giving up. He said on this occasion it is worth repeating what I said at an international conference recently about our daughter Malala, “Malala Yousufzai is 15 years old. Since she was eleven, she has been an advocate of education for girls. Malala is a symbol of all that is good about us.”Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said that Pakistan would join the world community on Saturday to pay tribute to Malala Yousafzai, the daughter of Pakistan, for her bravery, courage and unflinching determination and her passion for education. November 10 marks one month after the attempt on life of Malala. In his message on the occasion of UN Malala Day, he said the very fact that the day is being celebrated across the globe under the banner of the United Nations, demonstrates the universal appeal and impact of her message. The PM Raja noted the attack on Malala Yousafzai was not merely an attack on an individual; rather, it was an attack on our values, culture, traditions and our way of life. The premier Ashraf furthermore asserted those who attacked Malala represent a bigoted, radicalized mindset, adding, it is essentially a clash of ideas.Shafi Ullah and Abdul Sattar Qamar adds from Swat and Multan: Different educational institutions in Swat district observed the United Nation’s day for Malala Yousafzai by arranging separate ceremonies to pay rich tributes to the great girl education activist and peace awarded student here on Saturday. Thousands of school and college students viewed the contributions of Malala towards the enhancement of female education would go a long way to remove the prevailing hindrances in the way of female education. They also paid rich tributes to the other two fellow girls Kainat and Shazia who were critically injured in the attack over Malala while they were on their way back homes from their school. On this occasion addressing a ceremony chairman of all private schools Association, Ahmad Shah said that Malala’s day gives a message to the world that the people of Swat are zealous to get education. “The local people have come to know that peace cannot be restored in the area with out educating both male and female alike” he added.The students offered special prayers for the early recovery of Malala and vowed to stand by her mission and forward it in order to ensure no Pakistani child is left without proper education.Meanwhile, ex- British Prime Minister and special envoy to UN Secretary General Gordon Brown telephoned to Kainat and inquired about her health. Our Reporter Abdul Sattar Qamar adds from Multan; School Children of Multan also observed the ‘Malala Day’ on Saturday across the south Punjab to pay homage to the brave girl malala yousafzai.in this regard, more than 100 women and children carrying the portraits of Malala, a number of NGOs also organized meetings here to eulogize the services of Malala for 61 million children who do not go to schools. Participating children shouted slogans as “We are with Malala” We do not want Taliban’s Pakistan”. Pakistan Patriot Forum (PPF) also observed the day. Scores of women and minor children lit the candles to pay tributes to Child activist from Swat (Mingora).