Pakistanis, U.N. pay tribute to girl shot by Taliban

MINGORA, Pakistan Pakistani students and rights activists are paying tribute to a 15-year-old girl who was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman last month for promoting girls' right to education and being an outspoken critic of the militant group.

After the Oct. 9 shooting, Malala Yousufzai was airlifted to a hospital in Britain where she is being treated and is making a steady recovery.

Malala is one of the most prominent voices to speak out against the Taliban in Pakistan. Nearly 100,000 people have signed an online petition calling for her to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Pakistan marked "Malala Day" on Saturday - a global day of support for the teenager shot for promoting girls' education.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sent a video message, saying Malala is a global symbol of every girl's right to education.

On Friday U.N. special education envoy and former U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown handed a separate, million-strong petition in support of Malala to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.

In her hometown of Mingora in the northwestern Swat Valley, hundreds of students on Saturday prayed for her early recovery and vowed to continue her mission. Security fears prevented her schoolmates from honoring her in public.

• Malala's father: "She will rise again"
• Family of Malala Yousufzai arrives in England
• Malala's dad: We'll bring her home to Pakistan
• "Hero's reception" awaits Pakistani teen back home

[komodo55]

Only a complete imbecile would believe that the CIA was responsible or even question that it might.

[quincytodd]

Can anyone here be 100% sure that this was not just another classic C.I.A. put up job? I definately am not since it seems to be having the desired effect just as the U-2 Incident did back in 1960. I guess that a lot of ignoramuses here never heard of that one where Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower and Nikita Khruschchev planned the SALT-1 talks in Paris that May.

[WhereisOT]

"The secret of Happiness is Freedom, and the secret of Freedom, Courage"
(Thucydides)

[joesapper]

Nobel would be the least we can do , as a world of responsible people with respect for the right of Freedoms for all . This Kid is Torch of Freedom that has been placed in a high level media light , due to her own courage to brave the onslot of threats .

I have repeatly seen across media in last weeks that suggest the Nobel Award , I think this is only going to gain support .

the talidone would be fighting the Movement of Freedom rather than a military force. The UN believe it or not will not support the Nobel Award I bet.

[Blackandtandog]

Yet in the screwed up country of Pakistan many believe that Malala was shot by the CIA. These people are not worth our support.

[quincytodd]

Did it occur to you that these people could be right, Blackandtandog? Just don't believe everything the right-wing news media says! Besides, look closely at the evidence.