KARACHI - The international day to express solidarity with the peace icon Malala Yousafzai celebrated here with a message to promote the girls’ education.
A gathering was held at the Sindh Assembly arranged by the South Asia Free Media Association (Safma), attended by schoolchildren from different schools. They also performed tableau to spread a message of young peace icon Malala Yousafzai. Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and others were also present on this occasion.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Fisherfolk forum (PFF) on Saturday organised a gathering to express solidarity on Malala Day, being organised by various human rights and civil society organizations around the world.
Saeed Baloch, General Secretary PFF briefed the audience about the situation of girls’ education in Sawat and the struggle of Malala Yousafza for the great cause.
He said more than 450 girls schools had been burnt by certain elements in order to stop the education in the region. The law and order situation was at its worst when Malala started writing her diary by the name of Gul Makai. However, he said extremists attacked on her life cowardly but she survived.
PFF Chairperson Muhammad Ali Shah, showing solidarity with Malala Yousaf Zai said Malala had become a symbol for the rights of education for the girls.
“We salute her bravery and courage and count our solidarity with her. Education is a fundamental right and a key to development,” he added. He demanded the government to increase education budget by reducing defence budget so that every child like Malala can get his/her fundamental right without putting their lives at stake.
Quratulain Mirza, who is a human rights campaigner, also appreciated the work Malala has done for promoting girls education in restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The simple gathering attracted community elders, activists and staff to sit together and discuss how the daring girl contributed for the great cause. They also portrayed the status of girls schools in coastal and inland waters, where minor girls of fishermen are being deprived of their basic right to education.
 They said there were many remote villages which do not have school buildings especially for girls.
The PFF leaders emphasised the need to sensitize community elders to ensure enrollment of their girls in nearby schools and asked them to learn from the role played by brave girl of Swat, Malala, who has earned name for the entire country.