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A PAKISTANI SCHOOLGIRL shot in the head by the Taliban showed signs of improvement by moving her limbs today, the military said, though she remains unconscious and on a ventilator.
The shooting of 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai, who campaigned for the right to an education, has been denounced worldwide and by the Pakistani authorities, who have offered a reward of more than $100,000 for the capture of her attackers.
“The sedation given to Malala was reduced today so that neurosurgeons could do their clinical assessment and as a result of it Malala responded and moved her hands and feet,” military spokesman Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa said.
“It is a positive development,” Bajwa told a press conference near Army headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, close to the capital Islamabad, where Malala is being treated in a military hospital. ”As per doctors, (the) condition of Malala is stable.”
A team of specialist doctors are providing “constant care” to Malala and all “contingencies” were in place in case they decide to move her abroad for further treatment, the general said. ”It is a case of serious head injury and the progress is very slow in it.”
Two other girl students wounded with Malala were “also being taken care of at places where they can get best treatment”, he said, without elaborating.
Bajwa said that all available resources were being used to investigate the incident and some arrests had been made, but he declined to say how many people were currently in custody and how many had been let go.
Asked whether the military might now consider launching an offensive against the Taliban in their tribal area stronghold of North Waziristan, on the Afghan border, Bajwa said: “Such decisions are not taken overnight.”
A military statement earlier said: “(The) health condition of Malala continues to remain satisfactory. Her vitals are okay and she is still on ventilator.”
Prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf visited Malala yesterday, paying tribute to her and two friends who were also wounded when a gunman boarded their school bus on Tuesday and opened fire.
“It was not a crime against an individual but a crime against humanity and an attack on our national and social values,” he told reporters, pledging renewed vigour in Pakistan’s struggle with Islamist militancy.
Bajwa yesterday said the next 36 to 48 hours would be critical for Malala.
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I hope she recovers and is giving a chance to speak at the UN. Where she deserves to get a standing ovation.
I agree. :-)
Poor child what a harsh cross she has had to bear and so young. May she come through this stronger and braver. Our children take their freedom to choose for granted. Pause for thought.
I think about this girl and wonder if any of us at fourteen years of age would have the strenght determination and confidence to stand up for what we believe in especially when the price is so high. she understood the danger she was in and done it anyway, I hope she pulls through because the world need people like her. the Taliban should feel threatened by her, because she shows the world what savages they really are.
Thank you Kevin for those figures . Maybe the left wing extremists would bear this in mind when they make their vitriolic attacks against religious beliefs in Europe.
When I read this story first my post was nearly word for word with yours, I have so much respect for this brave young girl
We can only hope
She’ll be fine, she’s not got the strength of a woman, but also an Ox! Go for it girl. Beat the bullies and the haters.
“she’s GOT the strength” ;)
The Taliban shot her in the name of “Allah” and promoting “secularism”. The conservative/sharia law believing Pakistani people pray to “Allah” for her recovery. Disgusting. Things will never change with Islam. “Allah” won’t save her the educated/Western influenced doctor will.
Every member of the Taliban should be put in a small room and nuked.
@Ruairi – I am half-Pakistani myself and the idea that the Taliban are very different from the rest of Pakistan in terms of ideology is very false. They are different in tactics not ideology; Pakistanis just get mad when Muslims are attacked. It’s amazing no one ever comes out and prays for the Pakistani Christians put on fire, beheaded, raped, tortured, and mutilated. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxC7QCAXMZQ.
o 78 percent of Pakistanis support death for apostates.
o 83 percent support stoning for adulterers.
o On the other hand, there is increasing opposition to the Taliban as it threatens to take over Pakistan (despite the fact they agree with the Taliban on sharia).
o In 2008, only 33 percent had a negative view of the Taliban. In 2009, this is up to 70 percent. Killing Afghans is fine, but not Pakistanis, it seems.
o In 2008, only 34 percent had a negative view of Al Qaeda. In 2009, this is up to 61 percent. Killing Americans is fine, but not Pakistanis, it seems.
o In 2004, an appalling 41 percent said suicide bombing that targets civilians in defense of Islam can often or sometimes be justified. In 2009, this is down to 5 percent. Finally think about it for 5 minutes, did you?
o Pakistanis say India is a bigger threat to the nation than the Taliban or al Qaeda.
o 64 percent regard the U.S. as an enemy.
Kevin, I assume these feckin eegits get their twisted justification from the Koran. Is their “justification” very obvious or are they like the mad bible thumpers who are very selective with their Bible reasonings and readings?
@Paul – Everybody in every religion is selective. As for Bible Thumpers, I live in North Carolina; my rights and life are not in danger because of them and they do not engage in terrorism.
Ah there you are Kevin. I see you’re still copying and pasting the same drivel.
Sorry Petr did you want me to paste Egypt’s figures when this is about a Pakistani girl shot in the head?!
Interesting figures but being half Pakistani and pulling out stats from Google or CNN polls does not make you an expert on viewpoint of all Pakistani people. Perhaps you would have also elaborated that 90% of the western world doesn’t even know that Taliban are two groups, Afghan Talibans who fought the Soviets and now are doing the same with American, the have popular local support since they are observed as Freedom Fighters. The Tehrik e Taliban Pakistan is an extremist group formed only after American invasion of Afghanistan who is doing all the killings and bombings in Pakistan and they are the ones who shot Malala. These nuts were not present before American invasion and we were very much at peace.
I regret this incident as much as any other innocent life lost, but it sickens me that the west media and NGOs condemn attack on Malala, even Madonna mentions her name in one of her concert, but what about HUNDREDS of Pakistani children that are killed by US drones every month? Perhaps they are not as important, your stats show them as ‘suspected terrorists’, but on the ground whenever a man loose a wife, a son or a daughter, you gift one more extremist to Taliban.
About Christian minority in Pakistan, your source CNN? seriously man? Perhaps US has a better record of treating minorities and there are no records of Jews or Muslims or other small groups being targeted. Maybe beating their own citizens and peper sparying at Wall St. protest are all conspiracies. Sure Pakistan has problems, but please point me to a state which has been formed just before 60 years and is perfect, I would like to know.
you are so ignorant! get educated you are no different then those Taliban! spread peace and love the world needs less haters like you! and uses I am Muslim and Allah will do what is already written for her and if she dies other doesn’t mean Allah hated her it’s because he has heaven for her! you stupid idiot!!
@Murtaza – You’re right pulling figures and being half-Pakistani doesn’t make me an expert. But having a Pakistani father and family in Pakistan does mean I know how the country really is contrary to Pakistani Muslims playing the victim card. “Perhaps you would have also elaborated that 90% of the western world doesn’t even know that Taliban are two groups.” Right, 90% of Western people are certified morons but superior Pakistanis/Muslims are of a higher IQ. “These nuts were not present before American invasion and we were very much at peace.” They have always been nuts, they have just gotten more violent and powerful. You claim the US is killing Pakistani children by drones? Who authorized/allowed the drones into Pakistan? The Pakistani Government. Who is responsible for most civilian deaths? The Taliban. Yes sometimes civilians do get killed but that is accidental and in no way on purpose. Who is hiding amongst children/civilians on purpose? The Taliban. “Maybe beating their own citizens and pepper spraying at Wall St. protest are all conspiracies.” No they are not conspiracies at all. There were a number of criminals that have hijacked that movement and were breaking into shops, harassing employees, sexual assaults, vandalizing property, and they were disrupting commuters; they police did their job. Don’t give me that bullshit that CNN is lying and those poor girls are lying. Read the damn Pakistani Constitution and stories of beheadings, burned down homes, rapes, force conversions, mutilation, etc. My father’s family would buy milk from Christians in Pakistan over 30 years ago and their neighbors condemned them for doing so; it has only gotten worse the treatment of Christians and other minorities. “Sure Pakistan has problems, but please point me to a state which has been formed just before 60 years and is perfect, I would like to know.” Uh no Pakistan is the problem. How old is the Republic of Ireland?! How is present day ROI and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan alike? My father cannot even visit his father’s grave in Pakistan due to the fear of being killed. My mother visited Pakistan in the early 90s and was blackmailed/threatened by Pakistani authorities. On her arrival to Karachi Airport the first thing said to my father was “is she converted”. If you regret this incident so much then comment and say how disgusted you are instead of attacking me.
@Deka –Yeah I’ll get “educated” when you learn how to type/speak properly. “you are no different then those Taliban!” I’m not going to even respond to that highly moronic comparison/statement. Did “Allah” tell you to call me a “stupid idiot”? So “Allah” wanted her to get shot in the head so she can come to heaven to be with “Allah”? You are insane. Keep your evil book and pedophile “prophet” to yourself. You and your religion of “peace” can go right to hell for all I care. Proud to be an infidel!
I’v seen your comments on practically every story connected with either Islam or the middle east on this website and I think it’s fairly easy to assume you’re the worst kind of American stereotype; arrogant, self-righteous and just plain ignorant. It’s clear you’re on a one man mission to spread hate speech. You’ve lapped up the standard post 9/11 Islamaphobic shite spewed out by Fox and CNN and the old Bush administration. I’m sure you’re a great fan of people like Terry Jones and probably have sympathy for Breivik’s cause. At the end of the day you’re really not much different from any of those fundamentalist, psycho preachers, priests, mullahs or sheikhs or anyone else for that matter who enjoys spending their time spreading and inciting hatred. Using the Taliban as the poster child for an entire religion? Fair play to ya.
@Hassan – I’m sorry that you find the truth “hate speech”. “You’ve lapped up the standard post 9/11 Islamaphobic shite spewed out by Fox and CNN and the old Bush administration.” Over 80% of American Muslims voted for Bush in 2001 due to the Republican Party’s social conservatism very much appealing to them because they are so intolerant to begin with; their support for the Republican Party has changed since 9/11. CNN is anything but “Islamaphobic” they are a liberal/left leaning news network and have made a number of documentaries on moderate-Muslims; Fox News would be a conservative/right leaning network and could be described as Islamphobic. No I am not a fan of Terry Jones due to the fact he dislikes Islam for the wrong reasons; he dislikes Islam because he feels his delusional beliefs are the true/right beliefs and better than Islam, when they are not. Your Brevik insult is pathetic especially since Brevik was a White Nationalist/Christian Extremist and I am not White/Christian; and the fact that he murdered people and is a nativist. I find it funny that you think by comparing me to some of the worst people on the planet that you actually think that would make me doubt myself or make me feel bad; good luck with that. “Using the Taliban as the poster child for an entire religion?” Your Taliban comment is simply bullshit. I said that most Pakistanis dislike the Taliban but they do share a common ideology which is a fact. There is no Islamic country that is a Democracy with the exclusion of Turkey (which is currently seeing a rise in Islamists trying to take control of the country and implement Sharia Law) there is a reason for that. I have yet to see rioting in Western countries over cartoons mocking Jesus and Mary by radical-Christians. Christian Extremists do not pose a threat to national security and are treated as lunatics in Western countries by the majority of people. The problem is so-called “moderate” Muslims in the Middle East are not moderate at all by Western Standards but they are not as extreme to the point of hijacking planes and blowing up buildings. There are tons of videos/stories just showing persecution of Christians in Pakistan and no one marches for them or does public prayers. All the Islamic Governments sponsor state persecution of non-Muslims/minorities. I will always side with the real victims not the oppressors who cry about not being allowed to oppress others in the name of “Allah” or some disgusting/cruel/evil book. I’ve received threats because of my stance on the religion of “peace” and it’s not going to change because of them; if anything it’s only reaffirmed my views on Islam. That’s the great part of living in a Democracy I have a right to believe what I want and you have a right to believe what you want and neither of us have to respect each other’s beliefs but we should respect each other’s right to those beliefs. Sadly most Muslims and Islamic countries cannot grasp this simple concept.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StSbvmoXlus&feature=player_embedded
Hope Malala recovers from this awful and unjustified attack! A 14 year old girl should not have to go through this!
@Kevin
Do you not get bored of talkin the same hateful crap against muslims and Islam in general? Surely it gets boring after a while?
Oh and re: your comment above bout beliefs.. I think everyone who is a regular on journal knows your beliefs at this stage! you don’t need to post 20 essays on every Muslim related article
@Elvedin – Do you not get bored always responding to “hateful crap”?! Surely it gets boring after a while?! Everyone knows my beliefs (Atheism) at this stage? Your point is? You don’t need to respond to 20 essays on every Muslim related article especially when you have never answered any of my valid questions/points.
Way to go taliban! Fine big men you are and I’m sure Allah is most proud of you.
I pray for her speedy recovery and that’s justice is swiftly delivered to those evil people who committed this heinous crime.
So happy to hear she is doing well :-)
@ Kevin choora. Wel I never seen any person who spread hate about his father land. You are sitting in USA and reading irish website and giving stupid comments. Even irish people who have nothing to do with malalai they’re praying for her but you as pakistani spreading hates about your father land. You must be an asylum seeker who want to strong his case or you being paid for this. As you said your mother was threatened in Pakistan so if a mother has son like you how she will be welcome in any country. Question is why she was threatened there will be something behind the scenes. Don’t mislead people. Irish people are peace loving people don’t lie to them they know what is going on. Every one here once met pakistani wether in hospital as most of them are pakistani doctor or worked with them. But one thing for sure this fire you have in your heart for your fatherland and for Islam you are burning in it so body care about your comments . if Any senceable person who will read your comments will once say something is fishi with this paki. And don’t drag Islam in every issue. It is soft target in these days haan? Talibans are devil and Devils have no religion.
The founding of modern western medicine come from Islam. It’s not necessarily the religion but the fundamentalist nutters that create their own version in the name of god.
We had plenty of those types in Catholic Ireland, it only takes a handful to destroy the lives of thousands of children.
1. Any person with the slightest compassion hopes sincerely this poor girl, and her friends, will recover. We do.
2. Any person with any common sense and degree of enlightenment agrees with her campaign for education for all Pakistani girls, and hopes it bears fruit eventually. It will be a long and difficult struggle, that’s for sure.
3. HOWEVER, does her government speaking so protectively and self-righteously about her and her campaign not strike anyone else as highly ironic?
If it’s so keen to educate all its girls, presumably in the name of equality of opportunity for both sexes, why does it not do so? It has clearly failed its tens of millions of female citizens.
Why does it not divert some of its military spending (funded by billions of dollars from Washington) towards this girl’s cause and stop secretly approving (despite its very occasional weak public protestations) of the US drone war that is ongoing in the north of Pakistan and that is responsible for many hundreds, probably thousands, of deaths of ordinary people, many female, many children, yet claims to only kill militants?
Where is the outpouring of grief and sorrow for these people, by the Pakistani government and by the mainstream media? Where is the medical care in presumably excellent military facilities for the drone survivors?
A story like this, moving though it is, serves two purposes. Firstly, it is a very useful propaganda tool to bolster support for, and divert attention from, the totally unnecessary war, and failure that is the Afghan adventure, and the wider, insane “war on terror”. It further usefully demonises the Taliban and similar people… as if anyone with any kind of enlightened thinking would agree with their philosophy about society, including the position of women??? Secondly, pushing this girl’s story so blatantly selectively just gives more ammunition to all those rabid, hateful and racist anti-Muslims, anti-Asians, anti-Arabs, etc… out there.
They don’t come from Islam; although many of the medicines come from Iraq long ago. Have you read the Koran? What is “Catholic” Ireland? What is the Orange Order and DUP? If a Christian creates a medicine that doesn’t mean the religion should get the credit the person should.
the founder of modern western medicine was hipocrates
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