By IANS,
United Nations : The United Nations Wednesday condemned the attack on a 14-year-old Pakistani schoolgirl by the Taliban for advocating girls’ education.
Malala Yousufzai was shot and seriously injured Tuesday in Mingora area of Pakistan’s Swat Valley. Two other girls were also injured.
Leila Zerrougui, the special representative of UN Secretary-General Ban ki-moon for children, has denounced the attack and wished them a “swift and full recovery”.
She said: “Education is a fundamental right for all children.”
Yousufzai had been warned before by the Taliban for speaking against the forced closure of girls’ schools. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.
“The girl was shot and wounded by Taliban gunmen, together with two other schoolgirls, in the school bus in front of her school,” Zerrougui said in a statement.
“The TTP (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan) must respect the right to education of all children, including girls, to go to school and live in peace,” Geo TV quoted her as saying.
Malala Yousufzai was honoured with the National Peace Award by the government in 2011. She has been regularly receiving Taliban threats for her campaign for girls’ education.