The Pakistani nation is still in shock and grief after the tragic incident in Swat. According to the media, armed men dragged 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai from a school bus and shot her several times in the chest and neck. She is now battling for survival in a military hospital and the government has decided to send her abroad for further treatment. Malala has fought for the education of girls in Swat. She also launched a campaign against the destruction of schools and the restriction placed on the education of girls by militants in her area. At a time when several ruling party ministers left Swat for security reasons, she was living in the stronghold of militants and only days ago she raised concerns about her safety. She received a special award from the government and has become a symbol for girls' education in her region. This tragic incident shows how things are going from bad to worse despite government claims of success in militant areas. All political parties, civil society, human rights organizations and ordinary people have condemned this attack on Malala. The news received wide coverage not only in Pakistan but also abroad. Several US newspapers published the story on their front pages with pictures of Malala. The people of Pakistan are astonished to see the double standard of the US media. Thousands of children like Malala have lost their lives in US drone attacks in the same area but the US media never raises its voice and publishes pictures of these children, whereas it is now using this tragic incident for political purposes which is very shameful and unfortunate. Attacks on innocent children like Malala by militants or by US drones are heinous acts. We should condemn them both.
