Malala’s book launch stopped in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: The launch of Malala Yousafzai’s autobiography ‘I am Malala’ has been stopped in Peshawar.

Sources at the University of Peshawar where the book launch was scheduled to take place told Geo News that the Khyber Pakhutnkhawa government excused itself from providing security during the event.

The book launch organised by the Bacha Khan Foundation and scheduled to take place at the Area Study Centre was stopped by provincial ministers Inayatullah Khan and Shah Farman.

Provincial Information Minister Shah Farman said the book launch ceremony had not been stopped rather there were reservations regarding the launch taking place at the university. “Any irrelevant activity will not be allowed to take place in educational institutions,” Farman said.

The book launch being stopped created outcry on social media. Aseefa Bhutto Zardari tweeted: “Pathetic of PTI government to ban Malala’s book. This is censorship! Where is our freedom of speech and expression?”

PTI chairman Imran Khan also took to Twitter and said he was at a loss to understand why Malala’s book launch was stopped in Peshawar. “PTI believes in freedom of speech and debate not censorship of ideas,” Khan tweeted.

The MQM said the Khyber Paktunkhwa government stopping the book launch was a violation of freedom of expression.

Meanwhile the provincial home department in a statement said there were no restrictions on Malala’s book and the Area Study Centre and University of Peshawar were independent institutions. The statement added that the provincial government believed in freedom of expression.