Education is the greatest weapon

One wouldn't want to be on Taliban’s wanted list even in their worst nightmare. In fact, even the thought of coming face to face with the Taliban men can be nerve racking. Malala Yousafzai not only faced, but survived this nightmare for real.  Ah, how I admire her valor! Her mettle for the cause came as no surprise to her father, who named her after a famous warrior woman from southern Afghanistan.  She has been acting beyond her years.  Her demand is simple: Education for girls.

According to Malala, to turn the visions of a prosperous Pakistan into reality, every girl in Pakistan should go to school. Yet, the Taliban have refused to move even an inch away from their ideology: Women should not be educated. I wonder what pricks them so much about a woman being educated. Education gives a person power. It gives them a stake in the outside world, beyond the four walls they live in everyday. It’s like a magical wand handed over to an ordinary person to help them bring about change in their life and the world. Maybe this intimidates Taliban the most. They are afraid to see women in power and being dominant or equal in status, something which completely defies their Islamic ideology. However, their protest or opposition won't last long, for there's a weapon much more powerful than all the machine guns and explosives they possess. And that weapon is education.

if Malala can survive Taliban's wrath after getting shot in the head, I’m sure there are many more Malalas out there who can survive them too. 

Malala has already ignited the fire, now I hope every girl in Pakistan keeps it burning.

                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                - Arushi Sharma