Acknowledging Malala and others

Turning on the TV we find either BBC news, Geo news or any Pakistani channel obsessed with playing the news related to Malala. On social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and many others, we come across the question: Is Malala the real daughter of Pakistan or Arfa? Let’s find more about Malala Yousafzai and others like her in this article.

A Glimpse of Malala’s story

Malala Yousafzai, a girl with lots of ambition, at times used to be an ordinary girl. She was born in Mingora, Swat. She became a prey of a Taliban attack by the Taliban. She very well knows how to make her feelings heard. Initially, she wrote under a pseudonym. Her diary speaks of the events or happenings going on in swat.

Malala was awarded Nobel Peace Prize as she raised voice against the suppression of female education. She became the youngest recipient of this honorary award.

Who are the other Malalas?

It is a controversial debate to put a question what is the difference between Malala Yousafzai and other Malalas? Let’s acknowledge the other gems too! Other Malalas are those gems of our society who are being neglected and considered a minimal role in society like Naseem Hameed, famous athlete of Pakistan), Zubaida Tariq(social worker and renowned cook), Arfa Karim( Microsoft certified professional), Ali Moen Nawazish(Topper of A levels), Aitzaz Hassan, Babar Iqbal and many more. Some of these are:

Zubaida Jalal

Zubaida Jalal was the education minister in General Musharraf’s regime. She was murdered just because she raised voice against the suppression of female’s education. Nobody knows how and when she was killed. The incident of her ambiguous death points to the piteous state of law and justice prevalent in our nation.

Students of Sardar Bahadur Khan University

Some students of Sardar Bahadur Khan University, Quetta were targeted by separatist terrorists on June 15, 2013. A series of bombings and siege took place leaving 26 dead and several injured.

Abdul Sattar Edhi

Abdul Sattar Edhi devoted his life for orphans, widows, needy and poor people. His philanthropic work for the upliftment of the down-trodden deserves a Nobel Prize just like Malala.

Arfa Karim

Arfa Karim was a certified Microsoft professional. She remained a cancer patient for many years. She was offered full treatment by Bill Gates but she denied and proved to be a fundamentalist.

Aitzaz Hassan

He saved the whole humanity from ruthless terrorists by fighting with terrorist’s nasty armed body to save his school children.

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

She is the first and only Pakistani film-maker to win an Oscar. She won the Livingston Award for Young Journalists in 2005 for her documentary ‘Reinventing the Taliban’

Kainat

Kainat showed immense courage in the time of physical and mental injury. At 12, she was kidnapped, raped and kept hostage for three days. She managed to escape the rapists and reached her home. Sadly, she was not allowed to file a police complaint. Her family and Kainat had to go on a 19 day hunger strike until the police accepted her report.  Her brothers were kidnapped and murdered as a result of her voice. She was forced to leave her native place and even 10 years later she is living under police protection. She has challenged the system and refused to hide. She has resumed her education. But, the rapists are yet to be convicted.

Attiya Inayatullah

Attiya Inayatullah was the Federal Minister for Women’s development. She is known for a reform that she pushed for in 2002. This reform reserves 60 seats out of 342 for females in Pakistan’s National assembly. She worked for this reform because Pakistani politics is filled with men. It is a world of money, muscle and manipulation. This reform has given courage to the younger generations and inculcated the value of equal human rights in all.

True gems save the day

Malala Yousafzai represents Pakistani female protagonists on the global stage. She has brought forward many questions pertaining to state of education, terrorism and its state funding, scene of law and order in Pakistan. But, she is not the only or first female to bring these issues in the limelight. Many others like her are working for noble causes like education, eradication of poverty, equal human rights, etc. They deserve an equal applause and recognition from the entire world.Do you agree with us?