Malala Yousufzai‘s new book ‘I am Malala,’ will be completely banned from Pakistan’s private schools and co-curricular activites in an effort to protect children from the book’s “controversial” and “confusing” contents. The decision was launched by the All Pakistan Private Schools Federation and has prompted opposing opinions within the country.
In a statement released by All Pakistan Private Schools Federation, the President Mirza Kashif asserts that “our academics have thoroughly studied her [Malala's] book and have concluded that reading that book will only confuse our children. Malala’s defense of Salman Rushdie in the name of freedom of expression, not writing Peace Be Upon Him after the name of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and criticizing the Quranic injunctions about the status of women in testifying as witnesses are only a few things which will challenge the idealogical foundations of our next generation.”
Semi-autobiographical “I am Malala” was co-written with British journalist Christina Lamb and records Malala’s personal experience under Taliban rule, writing anonymous blogs for the BBC, her advocacy for girls’ education, and events transpiring before Malala’s birth. According to Karachi-based novelist and education campaigner Bina Shah, “the decision to ban the book is the result of a deliberate smear campaign run against Malala and right-wing commentators. There has been complete confusion about the book, sown very deliberately in the minds of adults because of this right right-wing talk.”
In contrast, Kashif asserts “we can see from her writing that she has not authored the book herself. Even if she has, it creates a lot of doubt amongst our kids regarding religion which we, being Muslims, can never allow.” The Taliban have also threatened to attack any bookstore selling Malala’s book.
The decision to ban her memoir has inspired conflictual opinions from Pakistan’s youth. 15 year old student Zonash Raza has mixed opinions, explaining “the world already gets to hear a lot of corruption stories about Pakistan and this only going to add to that same image.”
16 year old Yumma Afzal supports Malala’s efforts, saying “the decision [to ban the book] is completely wrong and it is a conspiracy to show Malala as a US puppet. I have heard talk shows on TV where people are claiming Malala is fake and the injuries she received are not real, but I really don’t agree with them. She is a hero and an inspiration.”
Creative Commons Love: World Bank Photo Collection on Flickr.com
Written by Rachel Pozivenec