Monday, January 19, 2009

Diary of a Pakistani Schoolgirl

Here is a sample from the few pages that were previously posted at the BBC Urdu online page. Of course it is unthinkable to so many of us that a girl may be forbidden to go to school. It is unthinkable that we might fear punishment and perhaps death for the simple act of going to school. This girl knows nothing else.

"I was getting ready for school and about to wear my uniform when I remembered that our principal had told us not to wear uniforms - and come to school wearing normal clothes instead. So I decided to wear my favourite pink dress. Other girls in school were also wearing colourful dresses and the school presented a homely look.

My friend came to me and said, 'for God's sake, answer me honestly, is our school going to be attacked by the Taleban?' During the morning assembly we were told not to wear colourful clothes as the Taleban would object to it.

I came back from school and had tuition sessions after lunch. In the evening I switched on the TV and heard that curfew had been lifted from Shakardra after 15 days. I was happy to hear that because our English teacher lived in the area and she might be coming to school now."

The rest of the excerpt is here.

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