Pakistan: Teen activist shot
Event- Country
- Pakistan
- Initial Date
- Oct 9, 2012
- Event Description
On 9 October 2012, Malala Yousufzai, the 14-year-old Swat girl who championed the cause of girls' education and dared to criticise Taliban's attack on schools and schoolgoing girls, was shot and seriously wounded As she struggled for life in a Peshawar hospital, Taliban claimed responsibility for the chilling attack and threatened to target her again and kill her if she managed to survive this time. Malala's courage was recognised and praised worldwide and she was nominated for several international peace awards. Pakistan decorated her with a gallantry award. She was in a van going from school with two other girls. A masked man stopped the van while another jumped into the vehicle and asked who was Malala. According to Swat's District Coordination Officer Kamran Khan, the driver sensed the danger and tried to speed off but by then the gunman had shot her before jumping off and escaping. Officials said Malala Yousufzai had been shot in the head. Two other girls also suffered injuries. Malala was first taken to a hospital in Saidu Sharif and was later airlifted by a military helicopter to the Combined Military Hospital in Peshawar. A military official said a single bullet had gone through her temple and hit her shoulder. Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said the group had carried out the attack after repeatedly warning Malala to stop speaking out against them Malala won international recognition for highlighting Taliban atrocities in Swat with a blog for the BBC Urdu website three years ago, when Taliban led by Maulana Fazlullah burned girls' schools and terrorised the valley.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Violation
- Sexual Violence
- Rights Concerned
- Right to education
- Women's rights
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Active
- Event Location
Latitude: 35.22271
Longitude: 72.42581
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 9 October 2012, Malala Yousufzai, the 14-year-old Swat girl who championed the cause of girls' education and dared to criticise Taliban's attack on schools and schoolgoing girls, was shot and seriously wounded. As she struggled for life in a Peshawar hospital, Taliban claimed responsibility for the chilling attack and threatened to target her again and kill her if she managed to survive this time. Malala's courage was recognised and praised worldwide and she was nominated for several international peace awards. Pakistan decorated her with a gallantry award. She was in a van going from school with two other girls. A masked man stopped the van while another jumped into the vehicle and asked who was Malala. According to Swat's District Coordination Officer Kamran Khan, the driver sensed the danger and tried to speed off but by then the gunman had shot her before jumping off and escaping. Officials said Malala Yousufzai had been shot in the head. Two other girls also suffered injuries. Malala was first taken to a hospital in Saidu Sharif and was later airlifted by a military helicopter to the Combined Military Hospital in Peshawar. A military official said a single bullet had gone through her temple and hit her shoulder. Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said the group had carried out the attack after repeatedly warning Malala to stop speaking out against them Malala won international recognition for highlighting Taliban atrocities in Swat with a blog for the BBC Urdu website three years ago, when Taliban led by Maulana Fazlullah burned girls' schools and terrorised the valley.