President, PM, political leaders condemn attack on Malala Yousafzai
By APP / Web Desk
Published: October 9, 2012
Malala Yousafzai was attacked by the Taliban when she was returning home from school. PHOTO: FAZAL KHALIQ/ EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD / KARACHI: Several political leaders, including
President Asif Ali Zardari,
Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf,
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain and Pakistan Peoples Party
(PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, condemned the Taliban attack on National Peace Award winner Malala Yousafzai on Tuesday.
Malala, who has been honoured by the government with the National Peace Award, was injured along with two other girls when Taliban gunmen shot her while she was on her way home from school.
The Taliban said that she was targeted for being “pro-West” and will be targeted again if she survives.
President Zardari, while expressing concerns about Malala’s well-being, directed the concerned authorities to provide best possible medical assistance to the injured girls. He added that the terrorists would never be able to shake the resolve of the nation through such dastardly acts and the nation will continue to fight against militants till its logical conclusion.
Bilawal, in a statement, also condemned the attack on Malala and said that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was an enemy of Pakistan, Islam and humanity. He called for those living in denial to wake up and stand united against the internal threats faced by Pakistan.
Terming the attack an act of a “sick mindset”, former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, who had given Malala the peace award, said that such acts of terrorism were a reflection of barbarity, devoid of humanity and Islamic teachings.
The MQM chief termed the incident “blatant terrorism” and called for the perpetrators behind the act to be brought to justice. He appealed to the president, prime minister and Interior Minister Rehman Malik to take serious notice of the attack and take action against those involved.
