In the UK, the staff of Queen Elizabeth Hospital could not have been more helpful, particularly Fiona Alexander and Dr Kayani. My agent David Godwin was wonderful as always, and it was a real privilege to have as editors Judy Clain and Arzu Tahsin. I’m also grateful to Martin Ivens, my editor at the Sunday Times, for allowing me the time for this important project. My husband Paulo and son Louren?o could not have been more understanding as this book took over my life.
Above all, thanks to Malala and her wonderful family for sharing their story with me.
Christina Lamb
Important Events in Pakistan and Swat
14 August 1947 – Pakistan created as the world’s first homeland for Muslims; princely state of Swat joins Pakistan but keeps its special status 1947 – First Indo-Pakistan War
1948 – Death of founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah 1951 – Pakistan’s first prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan assassinated 1958 – General Ayub Khan seizes power in Pakistan’s first military coup 1965 – Second Indo-Pakistan War
1969 – Swat becomes part of North-West Frontier Province 1970 – Pakistan’s first national elections held
1971 – Third Indo-Pakistan War; East Pakistan becomes independent Bangladesh 1971 – Zulfikar Ali Bhutto becomes first elected prime minister 1977 – General Zia ul-Haq takes power in military coup 1979 – Zulfikar Ali Bhutto hanged; Soviet invasion of Afghanistan 1988 – General Zia and senior army officers killed in plane crash; elections held; Benazir Bhutto becomes first female prime minister in Islamic world 1989 – Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan complete
1990 – Benazir Bhutto government dismissed
1991 – Nawaz Sharif becomes prime minister
1993 – Nawaz Sharif forced to resign by army; second Benazir Bhutto government 1996 – Taliban take power in Kabul
1996 – Second Benazir Bhutto government dismissed
1997 – Nawaz Sharif forms second government
1998 – India conducts nuclear tests; Pakistan does same 1999 – Benazir Bhutto and husband Asif Ali Zardari convicted of corruption; Benazir goes into exile; Zardari jailed; General Pervez Musharraf takes power in coup
2001 – Al Qaeda 9/11 attacks on World Trade Center and Pentagon; US bombing of Afghanistan starts; Taliban government overthrown; Osama bin Laden escapes to Pakistan 2004 – Pakistan army starts operation against militants in FATA; first attack on Pakistan by US drone; Zardari goes into exile 2005 – Maulana Fazlullah starts radio in Swat; massive earthquake in Pakistan kills more than 70,000 people 2007 – Army storms Red Mosque in Islamabad; Benazir Bhutto returns to Pakistan; Fazlullah sets up Islamic courts; Musharraf sends troops into Swat; launch of Pakistan Taliban; Benazir Bhutto assassinated 2007–9 – Taliban extend influence across Swat
2008 – Zardari becomes president; Musharraf goes into exile 2009 – Fazlullah announces all girls’ schools to close in Swat; Pakistan government agrees peace accord with Taliban; Agreement breaks down as Taliban take over Swat; Pakistan army starts military operation against Taliban in Swat July 2009 – Pakistan government declares Taliban cleared from Swat December 2009 – President Obama announces extra 33,000 troops for Afghanistan, putting total NATO troops at 140,000
2010 – Floods across Pakistan kill 2,000 people
2011 – Governor of Punjab Salman Taseer assassinated; bin Laden killed in Abbottabad; Malala wins Pakistan National Peace Prize 9 October 2012 – Malala shot
May 2013 – Musharraf returns and is arrested; elections go ahead despite Taliban violence; Nawaz Sharif wins to become prime minister for third time 12 July 2013 – Malala addresses UN in New York on her sixteenth birthday and calls for free education for all children
A note on the Malala Fund
My goal in writing this book was to raise my voice on behalf of the millions of girls around the world who are being denied their right to go to school and realise their potential. I hope my story will inspire girls to raise their voice and embrace the power within themselves, but my mission does not end there. My mission, our mission, demands that we act decisively to educate girls and empower them to change their lives and communities.
That is why I have set up the Malala Fund.
The Malala Fund believes that each girl, and boy, has the power to change the world and that all she needs is a chance. To give girls this chance, the Fund aspires to invest in efforts that empower local communities, develop innovative solutions that build upon traditional approaches, and deliver not just basic literacy but the tools, ideas and networks that can help girls find their voice and create a better tomorrow.
I hope that all of you will join this cause so that we can work together to make girls’ education and empowerment a true priority once and for all. Please join my mission.
Find out more at www.malalafund.org
Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/MalalaFund and www.twitter.com/MalalaFund