Malala's father Ziauddin Yousafzai, who is referred to in the title of the film He Named Me Malala, is unsurprisingly one of the young activist's strongest supporters. In an interview with The National, he talks about the importance of encouraging young girls to be independent and his pride in learning a thing or two from his resilient daughter.
You’ve supported Malala in her humanitarian commitments and her quest for education. Do you see yourself as a role model for fathers of young girls back home in Pakistan?
That is a difficult question. I don’t see myself as a role model because I am a common man. But every day I try to be a good father – not only to my daughter but also to my sons – and a good husband to my wife. In terms of being a role model for the people in Pakistan, especially fathers, I can’t call myself role model, but they can learn from my life, from the relationship my daughter and I have, which is based on respect, human dignity and freedom. So people ask me what I did for my daughter. But ask me what I didn’t do – I didn’t clip her wings. If fathers in religious societies … let their daughters be themselves, they can be great students like Malala and many other great powerful women in the world.
What has your experience with Malala taught you about fatherhood?
I have learnt a lot from her. She is very brave, sometimes very critical about me, she has strength and she is very grounded. She has big dreams and I have learnt from her to be passionate and resilient, even in the hardest times of my life.
How do you feel about Malala being in the public eye? As a father, do you feel a sense of loss of not having Malala growing up the way you planned?
I don’t have this planning of how she will live her life – I only support her in her dreams or education, which she is seeking for every child in the world. I don’t have this problem that she is in the public eye, I have no problem with that, because she is an independent person, she has her individual personality. Our relationship is based on freedom and independence, and I respect all her freedom in the way she wants to live her life.
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