Nobel laureate and education activist Malala Yousafzai returned to her hometown in Shangla, Pakistan, on Wednesday, marking her first visit since surviving an assassination attempt by Taliban militants in 2012.
Yousafzai was just 15 when gunmen from the Pakistan Taliban shot her in the head for advocating girls’ education in the Swat Valley.
Airlifted to the United Kingdom for life-saving treatment, she has since become a global symbol of resistance against extremist efforts to suppress female education.
According to a report by Agence France-Presse, Yousafzai wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, “As a child, I spent every holiday in Shangla, Pakistan, playing by the river and sharing meals with my extended family. It was such a joy for me to return there today — after 13 long years — to be surrounded by the mountains, dip my hands in the cold river, and laugh with my beloved cousins. This place is very dear to my heart and I hope to return again and again.”
The visit, lasting just three hours, was conducted under strict security arrangements. Accompanied by her father, husband, and brother, Yousafzai arrived by helicopter as local authorities restricted access to parts of the Shangla district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to ensure safety.
“Her visit was kept highly secret to avoid any untoward incidents,” a senior local official told AFP on condition of anonymity. “Even the locals were unaware of her plans to visit.”
During her stay, she visited local education initiatives supported by the Malala Fund, an organization she co-founded to promote access to schooling for girls worldwide.
At the time of the 2012 attack, the Pakistan Taliban controlled parts of the Swat Valley, enforcing a strict ban on female education.
Yousafzai defied their restrictions, attending school in secret and blogging about her experiences, which led to global recognition. At 17, she became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
She has continued her advocacy on the global stage, most recently addressing Muslim leaders at an education summit in Islamabad, where she called for decisive action against the Afghan Taliban’s ban on girls’ secondary education.
Her return to Pakistan came amid a surge in violence. Just a day before her visit, a suicide bombing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa claimed the lives of 18 people, including civilians and security personnel.
“I pray for peace in every corner of our beautiful country. The recent attacks, including in Bannu yesterday, are heartbreaking,” Yousafzai said in response to the attack.
