ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan has decided to give a job to Malala Yousufzai’s father, Ziauddin Yousufzai, at the Pakistan Consulate in Birmingham, where Malala is receiving treatment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Sources revealed that various options and modalities were discussed at a meeting in Pakistan High Commission in London where Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan and Ziauddin Yousufzai were also present. He had been especially driven from Birmingham to London for this meeting in diplomatic protocol.
During the meeting in London, Ziauddin, who has worked as a senior teacher and administrator in Swat, was interviewed about his experience to judge what kind of job will suit him.
The source said that Ziauddin will be either given grade 18 or 19 Counsellor rank or he will be appointed a senior administrator.
He will be paid around $3,000, may be provided with a car and the housing facility. He will be appointed on a rolling yearly contract until the family decides to go back to Pakistan.
The doctors have told the family that the 15-year-old Malala, who was shot in the head by the Pakistani Taliban and later flown to Britain for the treatment at a hospital renowned for treating injured British soldiers, will take at least two years to fully recover from her severe injuries.
It was considered at one point that Malala may be shifted to a London hospital but Pakistani officials requested the hospital administration to keep her there to avoid Pakistani politicians who could have formed a queue to get pictured with her.
Last week, a group of senators cancelled their planned trip to the UK after they were categorically told by Pakistan High Commission in London that there will be no photo-opportunity with Malala.
“We don’t want any favour from the UK government or for that matter any other government. Our priority is the welfare of Yousufzai family and the government of Pakistan has stated that their needs will be fully looked after.”
Her two brothers are of school-going age and doctors have said that it is important that they stay around Malala and meet her occasionally for her to recover faster. They need to be schooled and housed locally.
“It will be best for Ziauddin to get a job locally in Birmingham so that not only he could make a living for his family but also be near Malala,” said the source.
Currently, the entire Ziauddin family is on visit visa and their visas will be expiring around March 2013.
The doctors at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital have said that Malala is in a stable condition and she is responding well to the treatment.
The hospital and Pakistan High Commission recently asked her well-wishers to donate money only to the fund which has been set up the Hospital and not be conned by the unscrupulous elements who have set up appeals in her name.
A source said the reports that Ziauddin was planning to apply for asylum in the United Kingdom are untrue and speculative. Many western NGOs, including the UN, have expressed their wish to arrange a job for Ziauddin but he will prefer working for a Pakistani organisation.
Internews
