In the midst of celebratory news that Malala Yousafzai, the little girl who took a bullet in the face last year fired by Taliban militants for being a vocal advocate of education rights for young women, has been voiced as a favourite to win the Nobel Peace Prize, the brutes who shot her are vowing fresh attempts to kill her. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has stated that it will target her again because she is a supporter of the ‘infidel West’. This accusation by the Taliban is, unfortunately, an idea that is gaining some traction with right-wing individuals and conspiracy theorists in Pakistan who think she is an ‘agent’ of the US, being highlighted to fulfil some nefarious goals. If that is true — and we mean to address the Taliban and the suspicious elements in the country — Malala is being lauded by the entire world, East to West, and has been appreciated for her unfailing efforts by people from all walks of life, then how can she be called an agent of the imperial superpower? How can someone with ulterior motives, and that too a little child, allow herself to be shot in the face by militants who would have surely killed her?
She is a hot favourite for the Nobel Peace Prize for two reasons: first of all, she has emerged as a symbol of resistance against Taliban ideology, which strives to see nothing less than women locked up in their homes and society regressing back into the dark ages. The world needed someone to wrestle strength and hope back from the militants. Secondly, after the devastating attack against her, she has advocated love and enlightenment through education, forgiving her attackers publicly. She has recently advised the government in Pakistan to talk to the militants in attempts to find peace. The little warrior for education is also one of Pakistan’s strongest proponents of peace but her idealism and naivety are evident. Two of the strongest political parties in Pakistan, the PML-N at the centre and the PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, were both loud backers of the negotiations process but the spate of deadly attacks that ravaged the country in the wake of their call for peace have made even these political parties rethink their strategy. Grudgingly, even they are beginning to agree that effective operations against the militants may be the only way to ensure peace. While Malala talks of only peace and second chances, the Taliban speak only of second attempts to murder and cause widespread destruction. It should be clear to our countrymen whose side they should be on. *