‘I’m overwhelmed and happy,’ says Malala upon her arrival in Pakistan for education summit

Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai arrived in Islamabad on Saturday to attend the education summit titled ‘Girls’ Education in Muslim Societies: Challenges and Opportunities’.

Upon her arrival, Parliamentary Secretary for Education Farah Akbar Naz warmly welcomed Malala and presented her with a book to mark the occasion.

"I am truly honored, overwhelmed, and happy to be back in Pakistan," said Malala, visiting her home country for the third time.

The summit has drawn a large number of Islamic scholars and representatives from Muslim countries.

Among them is Egypt’s Grand Mufti Dr Nazir Muhammad Ayyad, who announced the establishment of an Al-Azhar University campus in Pakistan during a meeting with Federal Education Minister Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.

Ministers from 47 countries and representatives from various institutions are participating in the conference, which will conclude with the signing of the ‘Islamabad Declaration’ tomorrow.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the opening ceremony, emphasising the urgent need to promote girls' education in Pakistan and other developing countries.

He highlighted the importance of addressing the challenges faced by the education sector and ensuring access to education for girls in impoverished regions.

“Islam emphasises the pursuit of knowledge for all, including women. Hosting this international conference is an honor for Pakistan.  Malala Yousafzai’s participation is a source of pride and a testament to her courage and determination,” said the prime minister.

This is the second major international event hosted by Pakistan in recent months. Earlier, the government successfully organized the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) conference, attended by the Indian Foreign Minister, along with other regional heads of state and foreign ministers.