I love my country more than anything despite all our sufferings, including militancy and military operations.

We got everything from our country as our country gives us a chance to live a free life. We are living in an independent country. I am from a far-flung area where there are no basic facilities for girls’ education but we are still proud to be Pakistanis.

Militancy and terrorism have affected my area where most of the girls’ education institutions were targeted. I want to get education and spread the light of education to other women of my area. I want to give the light of education to every citizen of Pakistan.

We are not satisfied with the political structure of Pakistan as everyone is just doing politics for their own benefits and no one is working for the people of Fata, including the MNAs.

Our economy is weak because of a weak political structure. Most of the youth from Fata are jobless. They have no access to education, no freedom of expression. FCR is there and you cannot say anything about the political administration.

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South Waziristan was famous as a safe-haven for militants. How could you get education and other opportunities there?

The founder of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah gave us an independent country and I like Pakistan but because of lack of political will our country is facing a difficult situation. I hope that our courage will change the situation. I am getting education in Peshawar from my area which shows a change.

Yes, I am proud to be a Pakistani and I am optimistic that a day will come when we will come out of this situation as most of the Fata people are living in tents. Courage and hope is the only option with us and we the girls from Fata and the rest of the youth will change Pakistan and give a peaceful Fata to our next generations.

As told to Arshad Yusufzai