Congratulations to Malala, bright, brave, ambitious girl who at 17 becomes youngest Noble laureate and Kailash Satyarthi, seasoned Indian social worker battling to abolish child labour are worthy winners of this prestigious award, putting them on par with US President Obama who was awarded such honour in somewhat haste!
Malala who operated anonymous blog exposing Taliban’s anti girl education policy, was catapulted on international stage by Taliban who shot her but failed to silence her. It proved to be blessing in disguise, enabling her to move to UK, a free, liberal, democratic country, in sharp contrast to medieval Pakistan an anti-democratic, violent, religiously narrow minded nation, where minorities and women are brutalized.
Naïve Malala’s odyssey with an early ambition to become doctor she should adhere to rather than entering politics, her new found passion, lion’s den. Sceptic Pakistanis even consider her as West’s stooge. She would not last long enough to make difference, will meet the same gruesome end as much shrewder, clever seasoned, born politician Benazir Bhutto. It would be a tragedy if the world loses brave Malala, earnestly needed as roll-model in Muslim world.
Let us hope that both Indian and Pakistani PM with lamentable, fossilized political attitude would attend Noble award ceremony that may lead to long overdue peace juggernaut and prosperity for both nations suffering from neglect, corruption and mistrust.
Kumudini Valambia
Via Email
