Imagine an average 20 year old growing up in Pakistan. We may not get several things right, but our nationalism is right on point. Same is the case with 20 year old Malala Yousafzai.

 

You may not agree with the narrative surrounding her life and that life altering incident which took her to the UK, but you have to have a very cold heart to challenge the tears of a 20 year old, filled with joy at the sight of her homeland

She dearly missed her Pakistan. As she said earlier that she would pass through cities around the world and try to convince herself that those were the cities of Pakistan, but of course that was not true. She still cannot believe that she is back and we finally see her overwhelmed that her dream of returning to Pakistan finally came true.

Taken to another country altogether, with no guarantees of ever returning to Pakistan. These are not the circumstances an ordinary Pakistani goes through. An ordinary Pakistani also does not go to the extent at which she did to fight for what she believed in

Many came and went, but Malala’s story manages to grab everyone’s attention and it is one story that each Pakistani has an opinion about.

 

Here’s a look at some of the very insane conspiracy theories surrounding her life

https://twitter.com/AftabAfridiPTI/status/979098634078826497

https://twitter.com/Irumkhan40/status/979234985726136321

 

But for every hater out there, hundreds of Pakistanis stand in support for the true daughter of the nation – Malala Yousafzai

 

In her address at the time of her return, she mentions a few important things

Malala said that even though she’s just 20 years old, she’s witnessed quite a lot in this short span of time. If you think about it, the statement carries so much meaning. All of us in the comfort zones of our homes do not realize what it is like living in place plagued by extremism. Imagine waking up one day and not being able to go to schools because some people believe that educating a woman means corrupting her. And she’s very right when she mentions that none of it was in her control. She would have stayed in Pakistan had she the option.

Her fight for women’s education continues till date. Malala Fund has contributed over $6million in the education sector. She wants each child to have this basic right because she understands that they are the future.

 

It is great to see the authorities not paying heed to the conspiracies and welcoming her with open arms, ensuring that her dream comes true

At the same time, one realizes that haters will find a reason to hate anyway. And it is not so much Malala herself, rather the issues she points out that people have a problem with

We as a nation want to cover our eyes and pretend everything is just fine. We don’t want to talk about our issues, we very much would like to push them under the rug. But Malala is not ready to do that. She understands the challenges and difficulties of those who have to go through these issues and she wants to ensure that no one has to go through that.

 

Malala Yousafzai is certainly a symbol of hope and resilience. And her visit to Pakistan is a proof of her loyalty to her homeland

 

MangoBaaz Exclusive: An Interview With Malala Yousafzai

 

cover image via fpif.com