Schoolgirl Shot by Taliban Arrives In UK
The Pakistani schoolgirl who was shot by the Taliban for campaigning for the right to go to school has arrived in the UK.
Malala Yousafzai, 14, was flown to Birmingham Airport and taken by ambulance to the city's Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where she will receive specialist "prolonged care" to help her recover.
The teenager was shot on a bus in front of her friends last Tuesday, in what Foreign Secretary William Hague described as a "barbaric attack".
Her life was saved by neurosurgeons in a Pakistani military hospital and she has since been in intensive care.
But doctors decided she needed "prolonged care" to help her recover from the physical and psychological effects of the attack.
Hospital staff in Birmingham say they are used to receiving such casualties. Medical Director Dr Dave Rosser said it was "part of their day job", having taken battle casualties for the past ten years.
He said Malala had a decent chance of a good recovery, otherwise she would not have been flown over from Pakistan.
He revealed that she could be at the hospital for weeks, if not months. A detailed assessment of her condition is due to be carried out this evening.
Dr Rosser was not prepared to reveal any clinical details, but 17 teams with different specialisms are available to aid her rehabilitation.
Amid ongoing threats to Malala's life from extremists, he said security at the hospital is taken seriously "at the best of times."
Earlier, Mr Hague said: "Malala's bravery in standing up for the right of all young girls in Pakistan to an education is an example to us all.
"Malala will now receive specialist medical care in an NHS hospital. Our thoughts remain with Malala and her family at this difficult time.
"The public revulsion and condemnation of this cowardly attack shows that the people of Pakistan will not be beaten by terrorists.
"The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism."
Malala was shot with two classmates as they made their way home from school in Swat, in the north west of Pakistan.
She was attacked by the Taliban for promoting the education of girls and criticising the militant group.
The teenager has been transferred to the UK by an air ambulance arranged by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Pakistani army said.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital has a trauma ward which treats British personnel wounded in Afghanistan.
In a statement, the Pakistani authorities said: "The panel of doctors recommended that Malala be shifted abroad to a UK centre which has the capability to provide integrated care to children who have sustained severe injury."
Malala was accompanied by an army intensive care specialist who provided continued care during the trip.
"All expenses including transportation of Malala by specially equipped air ambulance and treatment abroad will be borne by the government of Pakistan," the statement added.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said all transport, migration, medical, accommodation and subsistence costs for Malala and her party were being met by the Pakistani government.
The spokeswoman added: "We offered last Thursday our help to the government of Pakistan in caring for her because she does need particular specialist care."
Asked if she will be provided with guards at the hospital, the spokeswoman said: "You wouldn't expect me to talk about security matters in detail but certainly security has been taken into account."
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is UN Special Envoy for Global Education, said he would be visiting Pakistan next month to speak to President Asif Ali Zardari about Malala's cause of education for girls.
He said: "I know that Britain will offer Malala the best treatment possible and the British people will welcome her, hoping and praying for her recovery."
He added: "Today we are launching on
www.educationenvoy.org a petition under the headline 'I am Malala' in support of what Malala fought for - that every girl has the chance to go to school.
"Today, sadly, 32 million girls are not going to school and it is time to fight harder for Malala's dream to come true."
The petition will be handed to Mr Zardari and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
http://news.sky.com/story/998003/schoolgirl-shot-by-taliban-arrives-in-uk
Good luck to her she is sure lucky
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