
Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai visits her hometown in Pakistan for the first time since 2012 Taliban attack
Nobel laureate and education activist Malala Yousafzai has returned to her hometown of Barkana in Swat’s Shangla district for the first time in thirteen years. This visit carried deep significance, marking her first trip since she survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban in 2012.
Accompanied by her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, and her husband, Asser Malik, Malala arrived in Barkana Shahpur by helicopter for a brief but meaningful visit. Her journey was not just personal but also a reaffirmation of her commitment to education and advocacy.
Reuniting with Family and Paying Respects
Family remained at the heart of Malala’s return. She visited her uncle, Ramazan, who recently underwent heart surgery in Islamabad, and spent time with her maternal relatives, including Faiz Ahmad. She also made a solemn visit to her ancestral graveyard, paying her respects to past generations of her family.
Touring the School That Transformed a Community
Education has always been central to Malala’s mission, and she took time to visit the school and college she founded in 2018. The Malala Yousafzai School provides free education to nearly 1,000 girls in a district that previously had no functioning government girls' college.
She toured classrooms, met students, and encouraged them to focus on their education. Karora Station House Officer (SHO) Amjad Alam Khan, who was present, stated, «Malala interacted with students, visited classrooms, and encouraged them to focus on their education to secure a promising future.»
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