Source: AlSharfo

Kainat Riaz and Shazia Rehman, injured friends of girls' education activist Malala Yousafzai, said they were committed to carrying forward Malala's mission of educating every girl in Pakistan's Swat Valley.

Kainat, Shazia and Malala survived gunshot wounds from a Taliban effort to assassinate Malala on October 9th in Swat.

"No, I am not terrified by that incident; there is no fear in me that could affect my education and stop me from going to school," Kainat, dressed in a colourful pink Swati shawl, told Central Asia Online at her home.

Kainat, a 10th-grade student, returned to school November 30th with Shazia after recovering from her injuries.

Malala is recovering in England.

Kainat said she doesn't fear the militants who target girls' schools in the valley. The world's support has made the girls more courageous, she added.

"The world-wide acknowledgement and support to all three of us and the praise we have received after this incident have made up our mind to support the good cause and fight the evils of illiteracy," she said.

"I would request that parents pay more attention to girls' education and send their daughters to schools," she added. "Inshallah, it will be our priority now to ensure every girl got to school and get education."

Shazia, who was wounded in the chest and hand, said that after the attack it was her mission to ensure every girl obtains an education.

"After the attack I was very terrified, but my brother and father told me that if I got afraid, I would not be able to achieve my goal of becoming a doctor," she told Central Asia Online. "They had advised me not to be afraid and focus on my education, as it is part of life and one has to go through it like a test of life. I want to continue my education so I do not fear anymore."

"We shall continue raising our voice for women's education, as it was Malala's dream," she said. "We shall be continuing with her mission […]; there should be no bar on women's education."

Attack increased parents' determination

According to Kainat's father, parents in Swat Valley are more determined to send their daughters to school after the attack on the girls.

"Many of those parents who were against girls' education and were not willing to send their daughters to schools now want their daughters to go to school and bring laurels like Malala, Shazia and Kainat," Riaz Ahmed told Central Asia Online.

Rahim Gul, a vegetable seller in Mingora told Central Asia Online that Malala's shooting inspired him to enrol his first-born daughter in school.

"First, I felt girls should not be allowed out of homes and must take care of household activities, but I may say now, education is a ray of hope and living for every human being and all girls must be sent to school," Gul added.

Ahmed said that although the guards standing who are escorting girls to school draw attention, it is necessary to ensure that his daughter can live out her dreams.

"Surely, Kainat would be going to school and will, inshallah, become a doctor," he said. "This incident has enhanced her determination to focus on her studies and achieve her goal."

Shazia's father, Muhammad Ramzan, who has run a bakery in Mingora since 1983 after moving from Muzaffargarh District, Punjab, said, "I am proud of my daughter; the way she has faced the entire situation has made us all very proud."

"I may say it is my dream my four daughters and five sons should get higher education," he remarked.

'Don't keep your daughters ignorant'

The attack, while tragic, could be a huge step forward for education for girls, both girls said.

Kainat said she would advise young girls to try to carry forward Malala's mission of getting an education, an opinion expounded on by Shazia.

"I have a message for the parents," Shazia said. "Don't keep your daughters ignorant; educate them so they would be able to serve you as well as the nation."