NEW DELHI - The 18-year-old Pakistani Nobel laureate, Malala Yousafzai, yesterday said she harbours the hope of becoming the Prime Minister of her country.
Malala, who was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with New Delhi-based child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi in 2014, also expressed her desire to visit India.
Asked if like Bhutto she would like to become the prime minister of Pakistan, she said, “Hopefully, if people vote .But my dream is to help children to get education.”
Malala, who survived an extremist attack on her in Pakistan’s restive Swat valley for promoting education, said she will continue her activism and termed slained former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto as a major inspiration.
“Many people denied that a woman can be a leader. She (Bhutto) has shown that a woman can be a leader,” she told in an interview with and Indian channel.
However, she also added that “there are more ways to bring change in society”.
“I cannot tolerate women being denied the right to have an identity and girls being denied the right to have an education. That is what I am standing for and I think this is the right thing we all should do,” she said.
Malala, a child and women’s rights activist and the inspiration for a film, thinks that she is just a normal girl and is doing what is the “responsibility” of all.
“I am just a normal girl and I am doing what is the responsibility of all us which is to stand for what is right in your society and to stand against injustices,” the Pakistani activist said.
Asked whether it was difficult for her to be famous, Malala said: “You are right, it is a bit hard. People do ask for pictures. But it is an honour, if someone loves you and really takes care of you. I feel honoured that people take care of me and they are supporting me.”
Malala said in order to fight the power of extremism, terrorism, young generation have to be empowered through education. “The weapons that we need are our books and pens and our voice that is the most important thing,” she added.
Questioned about the Taliban and targeting of children, Malala said: “It is a matter of horror and sadness that children have been targeted. This is unimaginable. It is sad that the politicians only grieve for few days but do nothing. We hope something is done. Hope safety is ensured to everyone.”