Malala makes first visit to ancestral village in Pakistan since 2012 attack

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai made a brief visit to her ancestral village in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, marking her first return to it since surviving an assassination attempt by militants in 2012.

“She arrived by helicopter from Islamabad, accompanied by her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, and husband, Aser Malik,” Saeed Mahmood Khan, SHO of Shahpur Police Station, and key security official assigned to Malala's security detail, told Nukta.

Malala touring the Malala Yousafzai School, a facility she established for orphaned and underprivileged girlsCourtesy: Shangla Police

According to Khan, Malala was welcomed by family members and Shehzad Roy, founder of ‘Zindagi Trust,’ who had arrived earlier. She spent four hours in her village of Shahpur before departing.

During her visit, she toured the Malala Yousafzai School, a facility she established for orphaned and underprivileged girls. She met students, listened to their concerns, and assured them of her continued support.

Malala also attended an event at Shahpur Girls High School, engaging with students and faculty. Police officials said she addressed some of the challenges faced by students.

Sources reported that she visited her uncle, Muhammad Ramzan, who had recently undergone heart surgery, and offered prayers at her grandmother’s grave.

Locals see her visit as a sign of her deep connection to her roots and her commitment to girls' education and empowerment in Pakistan.

Malala, accompanied by her husband Aser Malik, visits her ancestral village.Courtesy: Shangla Police

Shahpur Girls High School, the first higher secondary school for girls in Barkana, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is run by Zindagi Trust and funded by the Malala Fund.

Earlier this year, the now 27-year-old Malala visited Pakistan as the guest of honor at a global summit on girls' education in Islamic nations, where she urged leaders to stand up for Muslim girls.

Malala visits Shahpur Girls High School, the first higher secondary school for girls in Barkana, Khyber PakhtunkhwaCourtesy: Shangla Police

Malala was just 15 when she was shot in the head by a Pakistan Taliban militant for advocating girls’ education in her blog. Her recovery and activism have since made her a global symbol for women's education rights.