Islamabad, March 29 (Express Tribune): The youngest Nobel laureate, Malala Yousafzai, has said that she had dreamed of returning to Pakistan every day in the last five years.
“I still cannot believe this is happening. I have dreamed about this day for five years. All the time I was in cars and planes across the world, I used to tell myself that I am back home in Pakistan. And it was never true,” she stated in between sobs of happiness,” at the press conference at the Prime Minister’s residence here.
She broke down in tears while recounting how much she had missed being back in her home town of Swat, lamenting how so much had changed in her life in so little time.
The Nobel laureate said that she would never have left Pakistan if she had a choice. “The attack happened and I had to leave home, everything was happening itself. I could not control it,” she told the gathering.
Malala also highlighted how the doctors who had operated on her in Pakistan had saved her life, and further treatment for her injuries forced her abroad. “Now I have to continue my education abroad,” she added.
The advocate for education expressed her immense gratitude to all those who had made her visit to her home country possible.
“I have always wanted to come back home and meet people here, talk to them, and spend time on the roads and streets I cherish so much, and now that it is actually happening, I am very grateful,” she stressed.
Malala added that extremism and terrorism in Swat destroyed the city when the Taliban took over the town. Malala said that the future of Pakistan was bright and the people of the county were its biggest resource and asset.
“We need to invest in the education of children in Pakistan. Malala Fund has already spent more than six million dollars in Pakistan for the education of girls,” she said regarding the non-profit group she had co-founded with her father.
She expressed the hope that every one in the country would join hands for the betterment of the nation, adding that empowering women should be at the top of their agenda.
PM Abbasi also addressed the gathering held for Malala Yousufzai, saying that Pakistan was proud the daughter of the nation had returned after making her place in the world.
“Malala is Pakistan’s representative to the world. She advocates for the education of children,” the premier stated.
PM Abbasi was lavish in his praise for the girl from Swat, telling the gathering how Malala left Pakistan when she was only a child, but had come back as a girl who has made her mark in history.
Malala meets PM Abbasi
Earlier today, Malala met with Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at the Prime Minister’s office. Minister of Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, Minister of Information Technology Anusha Rehman, and Marvi Memon were also present in the meeting.
Shortly after the meeting, Malala headed to a ceremonial event held at the PM office itself, where the 20-year-old addressed the media.
Speaking at the event held in her honour Malala told the audience that she had dreamed of coming back to Pakistan every day for the last five years.
According to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Memon, the premier offered Malala a chance to expand her gulmakaiadvocacy through Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) beneficiary committee.