Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala wants to return to Pakistan, join politics

Islamabad: Pakistani teenage rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai has expressed her desire to join politics and return to the Swat Valley where she was shot in the head by the Taliban.

Malala, in an interview to Pakistan state broadcaster PTV, also urged India and Pakistan to spend on children’s education while putting aside their differences.

She again invited both the Prime Minister of Pakistan and India to attend the award ceremony of Nobel Peace Prize to be held in December.

17-year-old Malala, who left the Swat Valley after she was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 and was airlifted for a life-saving surgery to Birmingham where she lives with her family now, said her soul is in Swat and is hopeful of going back to Pakistan and join politics.

“My vision is to create awareness and resolve problems of the people. I want to start politics at local level and then move to the national and international level after gaining experience,” she was quoted as saying.

Malala advised all political parties to work for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan.

“We should work collectively, and have to be united. The aim of political parties should be to provide basic facilities like food and education to the people,” Malala said.

“International community wants to focus on education in a sustainable manner due to my efforts,” she said. Malala said that she will spend her share of the USD 1.1 million prize money on educational projects in Pakistan and set up a high quality school in Pakistan.

“We have to work together, as 57 million children are still out of school in Pakistan. My dream is that every Pakistani child should get good quality education,” she said. Malala said she was not expecting to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

“I was in my chemistry class and the teacher told me that I have won the Nobel Peace Prize. All teachers and students gathered in the school assembly and I nervously made a little speech before them,” she said.

Malala was awarded the Nobel peace prize along with Kailash Satyarthi, Indian children’s rights activist, for “their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education.”

PTI