Shehzad Roy sits down with fellow philanthropist Malala Yousafzai for a one-on-one conversation covering a wide range of topics. In a new episode of his Laga Reh Podcast, the musician was invited to Malala’s home in London, where the Nobel laureate began answering tough questions almost as soon as the podcast started. View this post on Instagram Roy opened with a provocative question, asking whether Malala had ever been a foreign agent for America's Central Intelligence Agency or the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Responding with humour, Malala quipped that Roy had left Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence off the list. She then addressed the claim more seriously, dismissing it as a familiar tendency to label credible individuals as agents, adding, “We didn’t even spare Abdul Sattar Edhi.” Roy then steered the discussion towards Malala's activism, asking whether her work had portrayed Pakistan in a negative light. Rejecting the notion, Malala stated that her intention had always been the opposite. “Wherever I go, I tell people the terrorists are not the true representation of Pakistan,” she said. “It is their victims, those who were martyred, those who raised their voices against terrorism, who truly represent the country.” Reflecting on her move to the United Kingdom following the attack on her life, Malala spoke about the confusion and fear she experienced as a 15-year-old in a foreign hospital. She recalled asking doctors where she was and worrying about the cost of her treatment, refuting claims that she had willingly left Pakistan at the first opportunity. The conversation also touched on global issues including Palestine. Addressing criticism about her perceived silence on the conflict, Malala said she had been advocating for Gaza since the age of 16. She stated that she had donated $50,000 from the World’s Children’s Prize to support education in Palestine, reiterating her stance condemning Israeli aggression while calling for a ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian aid. Roy also asked about her widely circulated photographs with Hillary Clinton to which Malala clarified that while both were executive producers on a musical project, they were not collaborators in the way many had assumed. View this post on Instagram Turning the focus back to Pakistan, Roy questioned why the Nobel laureate appeared less vocal about domestic issues. Malala explained that her work centres on girls’ education globally, but emphasised that she remains deeply concerned about minority rights, women’s protection, and the state of democracy in Pakistan. “You see, I’ve witnessed a small part of Pakistan’s political history, but I have seen three prime ministers removed, jailed or dismissed,” she said. “It upsets me that Pakistan’s democracy is not strong and that Imran Khan is in prison. When people stand up for justice and work to strengthen democracy, I stand with them.” She added that while her primary mission is to educate girls, lasting progress depends on stability, peace, and a strong democratic framework. Malala also addressed the scrutiny she faces online, noting how quickly people criticise her for not speaking out immediately on every issue. “It feels as though I am expected to solve every problem,” she said. “If I could stop wars, I would spend every second speaking out,” she added. She concluded by discussing the work of the Malala Fund, which has invested billions of rupees in Pakistan to support local organisations focused on girls’ education. Malala noted that over the past year, the fund has contributed millions to initiatives in Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan, helping children in flood-affected areas continue their education by covering costs such as transport and school uniforms. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, she noted, the fund has partnered with local groups to provide free transport for students across multiple districts. Highlighting the scale of the education crisis in Pakistan, Malala noted that 13 million girls in Pakistan remain out of school. “We dream of a day when that number is zero,” she said, adding that while change may be gradual, progress is already underway.
from Latest Lifestyle News, Fashion & Celebrity News - The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/0qKQRlk
0 Comments