KARACHI: Malala Yousafzai, the world’s youngest Nobel laureate, Thursday registered her protest against the terror attack on a van full of schoolchildren in her hometown, where she was shot for going to school almost a decade ago.
“I add my voice to thousands of people protesting for peace in Swat. Monday’s attack on a school bus full of children is a frightening reminder that our people must not be forced back into lives of fear and terrorism,” Malala said in a heartfelt note on Twitter.
Protests have taken over the streets of the valley in northwest Pakistan after a gunman opened fire on a school van. The driver of the bus succumbed to gunshot wounds shortly after, while the shooting also injured a child critically.
Monday’s attack unfolded in Mingora in the Gully Bagh area, sending chills down the spines of the residents that militancy was resurging in the Swat Valley.
The Swat Valley was the focal point of a months-long Pakistan military operation in 2009 to route out militants from the area.
Malala is currently visiting Pakistan and according to a statement by her non-profit organisation, Malala Fund, her visit aims to help keep international attention focused on the impact of floods in Pakistan and reinforce the need for critical humanitarian aid.
