Samira Shackle

On the margins: a look at race, culture, and world affairs.

Pakistan mustn't let another young woman fall prey to the same fate as Malala Yousafzai

Samira Shackle reports from Pakistan.

By Samira Shackle Published 25 October 2012 13:46

Supporters of Malala gather in Islamabad. Photograph: Getty Images

Two weeks after the shooting of 15 year old schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai became international news, another teenager from the same region has said she fears she is next on the Taliban’s hit list.

Two weeks before Malala was shot, a red cross was painted on the gate of the family home of Hina Khan, a 17 year old advocate of women’s education, hailing from Swat. "I removed it but someone just repainted it," said Hina’s father, Rayatullah. "Then after Malala was attacked we received telephone calls threatening that 'your daughter is next,' and 'we have already sent people to Islamabad to target her’.”

The first call threatening Hina came two days after Malala was shot, to the mobile phone of her mother, Farhat Rayat. “It was early in the morning. They asked, ‘Are you the mother of Hina Khan?’ When I replied, they said her life was in danger — and so was mine. I broke down in tears.” Since then, more threats have been issued.

The family fled their native Swat for Islamabad in 2008, after an earlier round of threats. The mountainous province, also home to Malala, was briefly ceded to the Taliban in 2009 after a sustained insurgency. Both of Hina’s parents are long-time opponents of the Taliban and proponents of women’s rights. Since 1999, they have worked to promote development and literacy programmes through their organisation.

Like Malala, Hina began speaking out for women’s education when she was very young. In 2008, aged just 12, she joined her mother in her campaign to promote literacy for women in Swat and to open a school that taught computer skills and sewing to women. Hina has attended press conferences, appeared in the national press, and in the process, become a target for extremists. “The Taliban hate me because I raised my voice in favour of girls going to school,” she has said.

Perhaps the most worrying aspect of this story is that the Khans have received absolutely no protection from the authorities. This is despite the fact that the Malala case powerfully highlighted how real the dangers are for women in these areas. If the state is not going to take action now, when the public mood is one of revulsion with extremism, will it ever do so? This lack of protection is not an uncommon story. When I interviewed Mukhtar Mai, victim of gang-rape and iconic advocate of women’s rights, she gave a similar account. She regularly receives death threats, but despite informing the authorities, has been given no protection.

In the wake of the Malala shooting, politicians were falling over each other in their rush to denounce the incident, offer to pay for her treatment, and condemn the scourge of extremism. Where are those voices now, when another young girl is under a direct personal threat? Malala may have been hailed for her bravery – but how will more young women be encouraged to speak out, if it is so painfully clear that the authorities will do nothing to protect them? There is no point condemning a tragedy after it has happened. To prevent further tragedies from taking place, the state must stand behind the women defending the values it claims to hold dear.

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19 comments

Mon, 2012-11-05 18:39 — David Murphy (not verified)

Terrible tragedies all, and vile that such things happen in the modern world. Western governments should pressure Pakistan and if necessary either offer protection or offer them a home. We should celebrate them and shame the people who would kill or maim them and fail to protect them.

But also Muslims must speak out. All this is done in the name of their religion, and evry time such a vile tragedy happens it reinforces the dislike and fear of Islam increasingly felt in the west. Muslims have to take ownership oftheir religion or watch it slide back into barbarism, superstition and hatred .

At one time Islam was the enlightened religion, Muslims need to rekindle that.

Fri, 2012-11-16 14:13 — New Hopeswoman (not verified)

I agree, Pakistan mustn't let this happen ever again. Pakistan mustn't let a lot of things happen ever again. Like let another person emigrate to Britain, hopefully, with non-existent education, Pakistani village mentality and manners to match. Well, they hawk up in the city streets here, spit on the pavements, and wipe their children's noses on their scarves. I've seen them, yuk! I gave my neighbour a box of tissues recently, but what she did with it, I dread to think, she still wipes her children's noses on her trailing headgear. What is Pakistan doing with the handouts US gives them? Why can't they organise themselves as a country, and get rid of the extremists? They just wring their hands, and say there's nothing they can do. They have an army, don't they? The local people must be rewarded for reporting subversive activity. I think if there was subversive activity going on in a village I lived in, I'd know about it. So it must be tolerated, perhaps even venerated.If Pakistanis ever want to live up to their name (Pak = Peace, right?), they need to sort themselves out before allowing their people to travel about in and out of the country. They should close their borders, or at least be forced to if they haven't the discipline to do it themselves.

Should I care any more, having offered to help a young Pakistani neighbour with three children before the age of 22, and been told to "F--k off" in my own garden; "What's it got to do with you why my son's crying, he's a child - children cry, don't they!" Yes, but not all day long, morning till night, while the mother sits on her lazy btm, leafing through catalogues. Is this really what you want for Britain, Mr Cameron? Is this progress? How can they justify covering their heads "for Allah" and swearing in a foul way at the same time?

Well, I care enough to be incensed at the amount of work that has to be done at ground level to drag these ignorant young things up by their bootlaces. They're raising the next generation of third-generation immigrants, and we're still reeling from the influx of third generation Irish, West Indian, Indian and Bangladeshi. I think there's a few good souls amongst the lot. But most people haven't learnt anything but vilest survival instincts, how to lie and cheat and play one up-manship. It seems all too often that given a house and a car, they think they've made it big and can swagger and take full advantage of the liberality of our laws, without any responsibility on their part to be nice or decent to the indigenous people. NOT that we don't have ignorance and foulness amongst our own. But there was a time when Britain had a sense of decency and "do right by others as you would have done to yourself". It's a good maxim.

What I would like to see happen is ONLY people who can speak English being allowed to come to Britain. The language barrier is still a big problem, especially with the Pakistanis.While I know some lovely Muslim immigrants, and they aren't all rich, but are educated, there seems to have been a totally open door to "letting in" all and sundry. I hope this door is now closed, or I swear I'll go and live in another part of the world. If you really want to see the decent people upping sticks, not just the rich and very clever, then what is it you really want to be left with, Mr Cameron? The whole world's dregs of society?

Fri, 2012-11-16 13:24 — New Hateswoman (not verified)

I agree, Pakistan mustn't let this happen ever again. Pakistan mustn't let a lot of things happen ever again. Like let another person emigrate.
Why should I care any more, having offered to help the young Pakistani neighbour with three children before the age of 21, and been told to "F--k off" in my own garden; "What's it got to do with you why my son's crying, he's a child - children cry, don't they!" Yes, but not all day long, morning till night, while she sits on her fat backside, leafing through catalogues. Is this really what you want for Britain, Mr Cameron?

Fri, 2012-11-16 14:20 — New Hopeswoman (not verified)

This was my first incensed response, which I immediately regretted. I don't want to be sour, but it's getting harder not to be.

Fri, 2012-11-16 14:29 — On the Boil (not verified)

I know what you mean. You feel torn between holding on to the values you hold dear, or saying, "I've had enough!" Me too, and thousands others, I'm sure.

It's getting really difficult BECAUSE THOSE THAT WE THOUGHT WE COULD TRUST - have let us down.

Namely, POLITICIANS, BANKERS, LAWYERS, PRIESTS, PEERS OF THE REALM, PERSONALITIES LEFT IN CHARGE OF OUR CHILDREN. Have I missed any?

Sun, 2012-10-28 20:30 — Posh Tosh (not verified)

Pakistan is such a good state that everyone wants to leave it and claim non-western values in the UK. A few bar a few!

Sun, 2012-10-28 20:27 — Posh Tosh (not verified)

I read sadly about the woman whom had her head severed, becuse her new husband and family wanted her to be a prostitute, It was a sad read and enforces Islams claim to Afghan Curry House manipulation.

By the way the best woman I had met for years, was to be terminated by her own family, inded she was a star.

Luckily after marrying a bad woman in young years , and having to face that years later a beutiful intelligent lady would go missing, because she wanted to be 'Western' It was like a second chance I had been denied of.

Luckily I have a good female friend now, she is peace,love and understanding, and had been married to a basta*d!

By the way I am not racist on that - talking about ground in the tribal stone religion.

There are many Catholics that have not been abused by good priests!

Sun, 2012-10-28 12:14 — Armin ius (not verified)

Barely a decent comment here at all just some cut and paste comments from a few bigots who are too lazy to come up with original comments to express their hatred.

Sun, 2012-10-28 20:19 — Posh Tosh (not verified)

You had better stop I am arming the US - Bigot is a person with a fixed viewpoint.

You have a fixed viewpoint bigot!

Tue, 2012-10-30 07:10 — Armin ius (not verified)

"The mind of a bigot is like the pupil of the eye; the more light you pour upon it, the more it will contract." - sounds more like you fruitloop. You have no idea what my viewpoint is fixed or otherwise, thus you are just another idiot posting guff.

Sat, 2012-10-27 15:52 — TomS (not verified)

It's isalm. What do you really expect?

Fri, 2012-10-26 21:59 — Carmichael. (not verified)

Pakistan - terrorist apartheid state.

Fri, 2012-10-26 21:38 — Leuih Ging - Dak (not verified)

No, let's be honest: she is not a young woman - she is a CHILD. Let's not forget that this was an attempted murder on a school bus, by "adults", of a 15 year old CHILD.

Fri, 2012-10-26 21:38 — Leuih Ging - Dak (not verified)

No, let's be honest: she is not a young woman - she is a CHILD. Let's not forget that this was an attempted murder on a school bus, by "adults", of a 15 year old CHILD.

Fri, 2012-10-26 14:53 — Des Demona (not verified)

The obvious answer is that unless and if they even have the will to clamp down on sick and twisted religious fundamentalism there is nothing the Pakistan Government can do to stop these atrocities.
Unfortunately Pakistan is not really a democracy. It is a theocracy in disguise with the real power lying with the mullahs.
If Pakistan really wants to be free of these vicious ideoligists who think nothing of gunning down a 14 year old girl or killing politicians who speak up against the draconian 'blasphemy' laws then the people they have to bite the bullet and decide. just what kind of society they want to live in.
The difficulty is of course that outside of the main cities the rural population tend to be ill educated and easy prey for these 'holy men'

Fri, 2012-10-26 12:40 — Pavlova

She should come to the UK, the government really protects women here.

Obviously that last bit was sarcasm.

Fri, 2012-10-26 07:30 — Sebastian. (not verified)

Pakistan is a racist illegal apartheid state responsible for the genocide and ethnic cleansing of millions of innocent Hindus and Sikhs. The innocent we're killed or displaced so that this illegal racist Moslem-only state could be created. Pakistan must be dismantled and returned to democratic Indian control.

Thu, 2012-10-25 17:50 — gmgerry (not verified)

All too horrific but yet another new low in the history of the failed state that is Pakistan...

Extremism is unstoppable in the country, it seems..the Taliban and a host of other Islamic extremist groups are not so secretly funded by the ISI, and are protected by the most powerful parts of the secret Pakistani state.

You are right, Samira..Hina and her family has no real protection, nor did Salman Taseer, nor did Malala, nor indeed did Benazir, nor does that poor Christian girl accused of blasphemy, nor does any moderate or "liberal" Pakistani which is why they are silent and powerless ..the forces of Islamic fundamentalism can seemingly terrorise and destroy anyone they want: and to think that the UK and the US are in alliance with this vile terror-state..

Thu, 2012-10-25 17:48 — gmgerry (not verified)

All too horrific but yet another new low in the history of the failed state that is Pakistan...