CAI ’ s Mortenson called the award “ a special moment for the people of Pakistan , and all the women and girls of the world . I hope this encourages the Pakistan government to fi- nally , 68 years since independence , put more than 3 percent of GDP into education , and focus on girls ’ education , but the reality is that Pakistan ’ s next budget only includes 2.1 percent for education , the lowest in six decades .
“ Countries spend hundreds of billions of dollars on war , military equipment and hardware , all in the imperfect illusion that security equals peace . The only real road to peace , stability and prosperity is education , and that ’ s still a low priority with politicians and governments ,” he said .
Malala ’ s award also pointed out other weaknesses in present-day Pakistan , Ghazi Salahuddin wrote in The News International ( Pakistan ) in October . “ Naturally , the world is intrigued by the irony that the girl who has become a unique celebrity globally is not able to live in her own country . … Will Pakistan ever be safe for Malala ?”
When Malala was attacked on her way home from school in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ( KP ) province , the country had the opportunity to unite “ against the insanity of the Taliban worldview ,” Salahuddin wrote .
Instead , extremists ’ presence in the country has only become more firmly entrenched . As Kiran Nazish reported for the Diplomat just days before the Nobel Prize was announced , “ The Pakistani military has failed five times since 2007 to crush the jihadist groups ” and this fall , the Islamic State ( IS ) was discovered openly recruiting in the region .
That ’ s not good news for anyone in the region . But Pakistan ’ s government and media were distracted this summer by protests in the capital city of Islamabad . Politician and former cricket player Imran Khan and cleric Tahir ul Qadri staged sit-ins and made speeches questioning the legitimacy of the current government .
“ The police got involved and the police didn ’ t do a good job , so the Army stepped in ,” said Christopher Kolenda , CAI ’ s international advisor and a professor at King ’ s College in London . “ But Sharif has made a statement , saying , ‘ No , I ’ m not going to resign . I was legitimately elected .’” And the protestors have since gone home .
But then another distraction cropped up : Fighting over the disputed region of Kashmir resumed .
“ The fighting impacts everyone ’ s life ,
IN MEMORIAM
Taliban fighters in the past year have killed two men and a boy affiliated with three different Central Asia Institute ( CAI ) projects in Afghanistan . Our thoughts and prayers remain with their families . Their spirits , however , live on in CAI ’ s work promoting education in these remote villages . Their courage and determination inspire us to never quit trying and always do better . We believe their legacy will ultimately be a better , more peaceful future for all . Rest in peace , friends . We will never forget you .
� Urozgan guard Ghulam Nabi , the chokidar ( guard ) at Genno School in Deh Rawood , Urozgan , died in September , following a Taliban attack on the school . The school has been under construction since 2010 .
“ Taliban beat the laborers in that school and Ghulam Nabi is killed because of helping labors and protecting school ,” said Wakil Karimi , CAI ’ s Kabul-based program manager . “ He had two sons and four daughters .”
Near-constant fighting and security issues have repeatedly hindered efforts to finish construction of Genno School . Urozgan is a Taliban stronghold and a deeply conservative region with a stunningly high illiteracy rate , even for Afghanistan , at 83 percent , according to cimicweb . org . The female literacy rate is estimated at less than 1 percent .
The push is on to finish the school quickly , Karimi said . “ Genno and Kakrak schools will finish soon so we will try to deliver them to government as soon as possible .”
� Urozgan student In late January 2014 , Abdul Basi was killed by a roadside bomb while en route to visit the construction site of CAI ’ s Kakrat Primary School in Deh Rawood village .
The 17-year-old grandson of Haji Ibrahim , a community leader and education champion , was walking in the village when the bomb exploded , Karimi said .
The 11th-grader was the first literate person in his family and supported his grandfather ’ s work with CAI , Karimi said . He attended high school in the provincial capital Tarin Kowt and was in the village visiting family for the weekend .
� Kunar headmaster Militants in Kunar province targeted and killed Ghulam Faruq , headmaster of CAI ’ s Saw School in Afghanistan ’ s Kunar province in May .
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan ( TTP ) fighters deliberately targeted him with a remotely detonated bomb planted on the trail he walked every day to the school in Kunar ’ s Naray district , according to CAI ’ s sources in Saw village .
Villagers said Ghulam died immediately . He left behind a wife and eight children .
Saw is in the mountains near the porous Afghanistan- Pakistan border , on the corridor for militants who come from Pakistan to attack U . S . and Afghan forces and then retreat back across the border .
Ghulam started the community-run Saw School a decade ago , using tents and rented rooms in a mud-brick house as classrooms . The school had no government support at that time . CAI got involved in 2007 and a proper school building was erected in 2008 .
“ This senseless murder of our dear brother Ghulam is a huge loss , and difficult to process . He was … a consensus builder ( who ) tried to solve problems through dialogue and mediation ,” CAI Co-Founder Greg Mortenson said in May . “ His courage and resolve to support girls ’ education , in the middle of a conflict zone , and with antagonistic forces at work against him , is his lasting legacy .”
� ‘ Legend of Broghil ’ Another friend of CAI ’ s , Mumin Khan from Kishmanjo , Pakistan , passed away in August . Known as “ the legend of Broghil ,” he had lived a remarkably long life and was still active right up until the end , according to village sources .
“ Mumin Baba has served thousands of his guests with a cup of tea , local bread , and yogurt ,” a mutual friend wrote . “ Everyone traveling to Broghil — locals , tourists , Scouts — has taken a cup of tea and bread from Mumin Baba .”
CAI-US staff were guests in his home for two nights in 2013 , and he frequently assisted CAI-Gilgit ( Pakistan ) with its work in the region .
“ He was above 90 years , but was active working in his field and served guests traveling to Broghil Festival even one day before he died ,” the friend wrote . “ He just got stomach pain . He spoke to his children and relatives until his last breath . He selected his gravesite two days before his death and advised his family and relatives regarding his funeral .”
His funeral was attended by thousands of people , including regional government and military representatives .
— Karin Ronnow
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