Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai is in hot waters for co-producing a new Broadway musical titled ‘Suffs’ with former US State Secretary Hillary Clinton. Pakistanis across the political divide took to X, formerly Twitter, to denounce her for collaborating with a US leader perceived as a “warmonger” who endorsed wars killing thousands in Afghanistan and Libya, supported CIA’s drone strikes in Pakistan, and justified bombing of Gaza.
Globally recognized for advocacy for girls’ right to education now, Malala, a resident of Swat, Pakistan survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban in 2012. She and her family fled to the United Kingdom after the attack. In 2013, she founded an INGO for girls education— Malala Fund. Since then, she has come under attack for being a “CIA agent” by the rightwing. For years, sections of civil society in Pakistan have stood with Malala in solidarity to debunk misogynist allegations against her. However, since October 7, Malala's response to the plight of women and children of Gaza has been criticized as "lukewarm", and now the collaboration with the US politician is seen as a betrayal of sorts.
Here is a quick look at how a few netizens expressed support for Malala and others their disappointment over her apparent allegiance with Clinton.
I have admired Malala since 2011, even before she was shot and left Pakistan for treatment. I have always endorsed her causes, always been a supporter of her as she became a symbol of courage and resilience against oppression of women and inequality of genders. Her theatre… pic.twitter.com/hJSAtwjnaY
— Mehr Tarar (@MehrTarar) April 24, 2024
There is this funny notion that Malala provides funds to Gaza and this is more important than speaking on their behalf. Except everyone gets that she doesn’t speak up for them cause she would lose donors. So the funds for Gaza are basically coming from those who want Gazans dead.
— Arsalan Khan (@akkhan81) April 23, 2024
My contribution to the Malala discourse is that being critical of her as a wealthy adult woman with questionable politics is & will NEVER be the same as hating a literal girl *child* shot at point blank range & thinking her murder attempt was a false flag operation to defame Pak.
— MasuDi (@GhaddarShehri) April 23, 2024
Celebrating Greta Thunberg today in the way that kid realised that speaking against a genocide on all her platforms was crucial to her stand on climate. Malala chose the path of - “ I can’t die on certain hills such as genocide as it will affect my work on education”- demanding…
— ArafatMazhar ???? (@ArafatMazhar) April 22, 2024
I have vehemently defended Malala throughout the years and felt a sense of protectiveness, but this situation is indefensible, unfortunately. Hillary is a warmonger, and any collaboration with someone like that implicates you as well. https://t.co/9UhEIKlSsz
— Maheen Ghani (@maheenghani_) April 22, 2024
I stand with Malala.
— Aasim (@AasimSaeedPPP) April 23, 2024
I have been a staunch supporter of @Malala. Seeing her being compared to figures like Aung San Suu Kyi, who supported the Rohingya massacre, is heartbreaking. I truly hope and wish that she uses her influential voice to speak up for those who are being oppressed instead of… pic.twitter.com/WzhTrvhSxD
— Absa Komal (@AbsaKomal) April 23, 2024
Maddening & heartbreaking at the same time. What an utter disappointment, @Malala. You let us all down. pic.twitter.com/23m9zvY62n
— Nida Kirmani (@NidaKirmani) April 22, 2024
I don’t see any problem with that. It’s a musical about women’s suffrage.
— Maham Sufi (@mahamshykh) April 23, 2024
Malala joining hands with the warmonger Hillary Clinton is all we shouldn't have lived to see. It started with her silence over Gaza and now here we are.
— Saadia Ahmed (@khwamkhwah) April 22, 2024
Hillary Clinton fueled more death & destruction than the Taliban. She supported wars in Afghanistan/Iraq, supports genocide in Gaza, & single-handedly destroyed Libya. Malala's decision to associate with Hillary is an endorsement of this grotesque history of imperial violence.
— Ammar Ali Jan (@ammaralijan) April 23, 2024
With her lack of reaction to the #KharQamarMassacre @Malala replaced her Pashtun nationalist support base with Paki liberals who couldn't get enough of the #PakPositive from her Nobel. Now, during IDF's genocide she seems to have chosen Western elite over Paki one. #ToughChoices
— Imran Khan (@iopyne) April 22, 2024