Brown hails Malala as an icon of courage and hope

Published on 12/10/2012 00:00

Gordon Brown is to urge ­Pakistan’s leaders to use the ­Taleban shooting of a 14-year-old girl blogger as a catalyst to speed up educational reforms.

The former Labour prime minister hailed Malala Yousafzai as “an icon for courage and hope” as it was announced he would lead a delegation to Islamabad next month.

In his role as United Nations special envoy for global education, Mr Brown said the attack should inspire action to improve education for girls.

Malala – who remains in a critical condition after surgeons removed a bullet from her head – has become a national hero amid global condemnation of the attempt on her life.

She was shot in the head and neck as she left school on Tuesday for speaking out against the militants and promoting the right of girls to schooling. Mr Brown said: “I have asked president Asif Ali Zardari to pledge Malala’s suffering will not be in vain.

“He has invited me to lead a delegation of education leaders to visit him in Pakistan in November. Now as Malala’s name is broadcast across the world as an icon for courage and hope, I am determined that her shooting produces much more than just the talk of change.”