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Malala: Take My Name Off Pakistan College

Students fear attacks over school's link to teen activist

By the Associated Press

Posted Dec 21, 2012 8:19 AM CST

(AP) – The 15-year-old Pakistani girl who was shot by the Taliban for promoting girls' education has urged Pakistan to reverse a decision to rename a college in her honor. Malala Yousufzai wants to avert militant attacks on students, an official said today. The teen, who became a symbol of youth resistance to the Taliban, made the request after students broke into the school, tore down Malala's pictures, and boycotted classes in her hometown of Mingora. They said renaming the college endangered their lives.

The official says Malala called him from London, where she was being treated for critical wounds from the attack on Oct. 9. The Taliban said it targeted her for promoting education for secular girls. Malala's case won worldwide recognition for the struggle for women's rights in Pakistan and the Taliban have vowed to target her again. (Malala made the short-list for Time's Person of the Year.)

A Pakistani police officer stands guard outside the college which was named after Malala Yousufzai, in Swat, Pakistan on Friday, Dec. 21, 2012.
A Pakistani police officer stands guard outside the college which was named after Malala Yousufzai, in Swat, Pakistan on Friday, Dec. 21, 2012.   (AP Photo/Sherin Zada)
Malala Yousufzai, at left in her hospital bed, poses for a photograph with her family, in Birmingham, England.
Malala Yousufzai, at left in her hospital bed, poses for a photograph with her family, in Birmingham, England.   (AP Photo/ Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham)
In this picture taken on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, a student tears up a picture of Malala Yousufzai from a banner pasted at the hostel of Govt. Malala Yousufzai Girls College in Mingora, Pakistan.
In this picture taken on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, a student tears up a picture of Malala Yousufzai from a banner pasted at the hostel of Govt. Malala Yousufzai Girls College in Mingora, Pakistan.   (AP Photo/Sherin Zada)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 7 comments
augie2
Dec 21, 2012 3:40 PM CST
See, this is what organized religion and crazy people have in common.  
jagerhans
Dec 21, 2012 11:59 AM CST
minority my ass. if the talibans are still around it's because their mindset has many many followers and why this? because of religion, and the aggression of western countries, and the following wide acceptance accorded to the religious nuts who monopolized the struggle against western interferences, murders, massacres, wars. this circle needs to be broken.
RAD45
Dec 21, 2012 10:43 AM CST
The issue is not naming a school after Mahala, but hunting down and eliminating the Taliban -- a minority -- who do not hesitate to murder to enforce their medievil ideas of culture, education and religion. How long will a population allow this conduct before revolting and providing some vigiliante justice? It would seem there is little or no ability for the Pakistanti government to intervene, so putting the general population at risk.  Perhaps withdrawing U.S. aid which keeps a minority in power might incentivize others to act.  After all, the upper crust of Pakistani government and society appears to have no trouble educating their wives and daughters at U.S. colleges and undergrad boarding schools!

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education • Taliban • Pakistan • school • college • Pakistani Taliban • Malala Yousufzai

 
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