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Washington, DC – Following the Taliban’s cowardly shooting of 14-year-old Malala Yousufzai in Pakistan, who has championed freedom, liberty, and human rights for children, 11 members of the Women’s Policy Committee (WPC) in the U.S. House of Representatives have urged Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to work with Prime Minister Pervez Ashraf to “ensure that the Government of Pakistan prosecutes those responsible for the attack on Malala to the fullest extent of the law.”
Congresswomen Mary Bono Mack (CA-45) and Marsha Blackburn (TN-7), who serve as WPC Chairman and Co-Chairman, said “putting an end to the Taliban’s relentless and savage assault on women and girls must be a top priority for the world.”
Today, Bono Mack and Blackburn joined nine of their colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary Clinton. The other lawmakers include: Rep. Renee Ellmers (NC-2), Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-3), Rep. Lynn Jenkins (KS-2), Rep. Cynthia Lummis (WY-At Large), Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5), Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (WV-2), Rep. Sue Myrick (NC-9), Rep. Martha Roby (AL-2) and Rep. Jean Schmidt (OH-2).
In their letter, the WPC members wrote (click here for a copy):
“If we are going to win the war on terrorism, it’s simply not enough to bring the Osama bin Laden’s of the world to justice; we also have to save heroes like Malala Yousufzai. The Taliban’s brutal repression of women is widely documented and today it is estimated that the militant group is responsible for nearly 80 percent of the civilian casualties in Afghanistan. Afghans, Pakistanis, and Americans all have a shared interest in ridding the region of the Taliban and we must remain resolute in our determination.
“As Members of Congress – and as Members of the Republican Women’s Policy Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives – we believe that women and girls of Pakistan should be able to peacefully pursue an education and have the opportunity to contribute to their communities as we have. We commend the people of Pakistan for their forceful repudiation of this horrific incident, and hope that the U.S. Department of State will work with the Government of Pakistan to ensure that Malala and all girls throughout Pakistan can safely attend school in the coming months.”
Today, Malala Yousufzai continues to recover from her attack in a London Hospital, and her parents say she is making a “miraculous recovery.”
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