MINGORA: The two schoolgirls wounded in a Taliban murder attempt on teenage activist Malala Yousufzai said on Saturday they were still haunted by the memory of the bloody attack.
Kainaat Riaz and Shazia Ramzan were injured when gunmen attacked their school bus in a bid to kill Malala for the “crime” of promoting girls’ education.
Speaking to AFP on the UN-declared “Malala Day” of global action to support the young campaigner and call for better schooling for girls, 16-year-old Kainaat said the October 9 attack still made her afraid.
“I am still terrified. I still get tears in my eyes whenever I think of that incident. I saw Malala in the pool of blood in front of me with my eyes,” she told AFP at her home in Mingora, where the attack took place.
Malala’s courage and determination has made her an inspiration for millions and Kainaat said she was pleased that despite the Taliban’s bid to silence the 15-year-old, Malala’s message was being heard around the world.
“She always said that we should do something for girls’ education and she did not care about her own life when she was doing this,” she said. Shazia, 13, said the friends had been chatting and joking as usual on the bus when the terrorists opened fire and she still feels “terrorised” when she remembers it.
“I am proud that I am her close friend and the whole world is commemorating international day for her, but I would be much happier if she was here with us today,” she told AFP.
She said the Taliban attack had made her even more determined to go to school. “The shooting tried to stop us from getting education – it was our test and we must pass it,” she said. UN education special envoy Gordon Brown phoned Kainaat and Shazia on Saturday.
In Mingora, security fears meant Malala’s schoolmates could not hold a public demonstration for her, but they marked the UN day with a special assembly and prayers.
“My message on this day for Malala is that the whole nation is praying for her and she will be among us very soon,” Kainaat said.
