International community condemns attack on Malala

“I know that the President found the news reprehensible and disgusting and tragic. We strongly condemn the shooting of Malala Yousafzai,” Jay Carney,the White House Press Secretary,told reporters yesterday.

Directing violence at children is barbaric,it’s cowardly and our hearts go out to her and the others who were wounded,as well as their families,he said.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has also expressed “outrage” at the life-threatening attack on the girl and is writing to her family to offer his support.

Ban called for the perpetrators of the “heinous and cowardly” attack on Yousufzai to be swiftly brought to justice.

The UN Chief’s spokesperson Martin Nesirky told reporters that like others around the world,Ban has been “deeply moved” by Yousufzai’s “courageous efforts” to promote the fundamental right to education.

Ban “expresses his outrage and strongest condemnation” over the shooting of Yousufzai as well as two other girls who were injured in the attack.

Meanwhile,responding to reporters,Carney said,”The US has offered any necessary assistance to Malala… US military has agreed to provide air ambulance and medical treatment at a facility suitable for her condition if it becomes necessary”.

Malala was hit by two bullets on Tuesday when Taliban militants fired at her inside a school bus at Mingora,the main town of the Swat Valley located 160 km from Islamabad. Malala had emerged as an unlikely champion of peace in the former Taliban stronghold of Swat after she wrote about the atrocities of the militants in a blog for BBC Urdu under the pseudonym of Gul Makai.

Earlier in the day,Hillary Clinton,the Secretary of State praised the brave girl who is battling for life.

“She has been very brave in standing up for the rights of girls in the area where she comes from in Pakistan.

“…Yesterday’s attack reminds of the challenges that girls face,whether it’s poverty or marginalisation or even violence,just for speaking out for their basic rights,” she said.

European Union foreign policy representative Catherine Ashton earlier condemned the attack as a “a vile aggression”.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai had telephoned his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari to condemn the shooting.