I look at the world and I notice it's turning
While my guitar gently weeps
With every mistake we must surely be learning,
Still my guitar gently weeps
While my guitar gently weeps,
The Beatles
For the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize award, Malala Yousufzai, her tryst with global fame and support started with an unspeakably unfortunate incident on this date, in 2012. The Pakistani Taliban, which was imposing a strict Sharia rule in the Swat valley of the country, had been slowly but surely curbing girls' education. Malala, then all of 15 years, and her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, had often raised their voice against the terrorist organisation. Standing up for basic rights under a draconian regime almost cost Malala her life. While she was on the bus, on the way back from school, the Taliban accosted the bus, called out Malala's name, and when she stepped forward, she was shot in the temple by the gunman. The men also injured three of her friends.
We are all aware of the events that followed. We do wonder though if, for the people still living in the scenically breathtaking valley of Swat, life is any better than it was on October 9, 2012, when innocent schoolchildren were shot by armed men just for being girls and speaking their minds. While the Pakistani Army has managed to overthrow the Taliban's regime in the valley, the residents are now asking for a peaceful maintenance of order and democracy. However, that seems to be a far-fetched dream, given the fact that the Pakistani Taliban still thrives dangerously close to the fringes of the valley.
October 9 also happens to be the birthday of another famous luminary who was also the recipient of bullets of hate. Only, the writer of the song Imagine, oft recalled in instances when the world needs to be reminded of the need for sanity and peace, John Lennon, did not survive the attack on his life in 1980 by Mark David Chapman. The lead-singer of The Beatles, and a singer-songwriter who captivated countless across the world, Lennon was loved for his soul-stirring voice and lyrics that gave the world some truly unforgettable tunes.
