ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN – The Taliban has issued a new threat against Malala Yousafzai, the teenager who was shot in the head by one of its fighters a year ago after she refused to stop her efforts to expose the plight of schoolgirls in Pakistan.
A top Taliban spokesman said the group will continue to look for opportunities to harm the 16-year-old girl so long as she remains an outspoken critic of efforts to impose strict Islamic law in Pakistan. The threat comes amid speculation that Malala, who sought refuge in England last year, is a leading contender to win the Nobel Peace Prize when it is announced Friday. She is already the youngest person nominated for the honor and, if she won, would be only the second Pakistani in history to be recognized by the Nobel committee.
The teen's relatives and friends say that winning the Peace Prize would represent a milestone for efforts to draw attention to the problems faced by women and children in Pakistan's male-dominated culture. But some Pakistanis remain skeptical of Yousafzai's motives, highlighting the broader societal split over the country's ideological future.
Over the past year, Malala has spoken at the United Nations, had a New York-based charity for girls named after her, was a runner-up for Time Magazine's 2012 Person of the Year and has been honored by dozens of organizations, including the Clinton Global Initiative. "We feel proud," said her cousin Shahid Khan, who lives in the Swat Valley. "She has been a voice for peace, love and education."
Washington Post
