Malala questions 'silence' of Pakistani leaders

Questioning the 'silence' of Pakistani leaders on terrorism, 18-year-old Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai yesterday said she harbours the hope of becoming the Prime Minister of her country.

Malala, who was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with New Delhi-based child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi last year, also expressed her desire to visit India.

Malala, who survived an extremist attack on her in Pakistan's restive Swat valley for promoting education, said she will continue her activism and termed slained former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto as a major inspiration.

"Many people denied that a woman can be a leader. She (Bhutto) has shown that a woman can be a leader," she told India Today TV channel in an interview.

Asked if like Bhutto she would like to become the prime minister of Pakistan, she said, "Hopefully, if people vote. But my dream is to help children to get education."

However, she also added that "there are more ways to bring change in society".

"Why are they (Pakistani leadership) silent if terrorism is happening in Swat valley? Why are they silent if girls are denied education or women are flogged on the streets?" she asked. 

Malala, whose life is the subject of an upcoming film, further said that she cannot tolerate women being denied the right to have an identity and girls being denied education.