Congressional move to award Malala Yusufzai

Pakistan

Congressional move to award Malala Yusufzai

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Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee has announced to introduce legislation for honoring Malala.

25 October,2012 07:28 am

Sheila Jackson, Democrat from Texas and chairperson of the Pakistan caucus in the US Congress, wrote a letter to her colleagues on Wednesday and urged them to support the cause for awarding a Congressional gold medal to Malala Yusufzai.Malala, a fifteen-year-old Pakistani girl, stood against the oppressive policies imposed upon the citizens of Pakistan by the Taliban. Her stand for education for girl and gender equality resulted in a fatw being issued by the Taliban calling for her death, she recalled.Malala was shot in Swat on October 9th and is now recuperating in a Birmingham hospital after successful surgery to remove bullet from her head. Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in which two other girls were also injured.I am pleased to say that Malala survived the attack. The shooting of this young girl has sent shockwaves through the region and around the world; religious leaders and communities are condemning her shooting, yet the Taliban remains unrepentant. Malala has displayed true courage as she continued to fight for justice, even while her life was in danger, Congresswoman observed.Congresswoman Lee, a strong supporter of US-Pakistan relations over the years, said that Malala Yousufzai, because of her courage, had become a symbol of hope in a country long beset by violence and oppression. It is fitting that Malala has become the new face of Pakistan. She represents the future of Pakistan, where young girls can attend school and expect equal rights, she hoped.Malala’s actions demonstrate the power one child can have on an entire region. Her message could not silenced by the cowardly acts of the few. It is my firm belief that we should honor her message and recognize her bravery, she said.She called upon her fellows in Congress to join her in supporting the proposed legislation to honor Malala Yousufazi and her message. I, like all of you, value the need for education, justice, and gender equality, she appreciated.- Contributed by Awais Saleem, Dunya News correspondent in Washington, DC