today my greatest hope is for peace but for the first 16 years of my life like
for the first 16 years of my life like
for the first 16 years of my life like many other young people from my
many other young people from my
many other young people from my community I wanted to sacrifice my life
community I wanted to sacrifice my life
community I wanted to sacrifice my life in the name of violent jihad to become a
in the name of violent jihad to become a
in the name of violent jihad to become a martyr I have experienced what it takes
martyr I have experienced what it takes
martyr I have experienced what it takes to make a young person want to be a
to make a young person want to be a
to make a young person want to be a hardest and I have learned what it takes
hardest and I have learned what it takes
hardest and I have learned what it takes to prevent radicalization since then I
to prevent radicalization since then I
to prevent radicalization since then I have created a movement for peace
have created a movement for peace
have created a movement for peace unleashing young people’s potential to
unleashing young people’s potential to
unleashing young people’s potential to create flourishing and prosperous
create flourishing and prosperous
create flourishing and prosperous communities we have saved lives of more
communities we have saved lives of more
communities we have saved lives of more than 10,000 young people by preventing
than 10,000 young people by preventing
than 10,000 young people by preventing them from being recruited in militant
them from being recruited in militant
them from being recruited in militant jihadi groups today I want to share my
jihadi groups today I want to share my
jihadi groups today I want to share my journey with you I was born in cevapi
journey with you I was born in cevapi
journey with you I was born in cevapi it’s a small village in the northwest of
it’s a small village in the northwest of
it’s a small village in the northwest of Pakistan a deeply remote area
Pakistan a deeply remote area
Pakistan a deeply remote area traditional and religious at that time
traditional and religious at that time
traditional and religious at that time Pakistan was a perfect incubator for
Pakistan was a perfect incubator for
Pakistan was a perfect incubator for producing militant mindsets we learned
producing militant mindsets we learned
producing militant mindsets we learned to hate life believing that this life is
to hate life believing that this life is
to hate life believing that this life is short and the real life is afterlife and
short and the real life is afterlife and
short and the real life is afterlife and the earlier you start the luckier we are
the earlier you start the luckier we are
the earlier you start the luckier we are and all Muslims will go to heaven so I
and all Muslims will go to heaven so I
and all Muslims will go to heaven so I felt very lucky being born in a Muslim
felt very lucky being born in a Muslim
felt very lucky being born in a Muslim family our village was conservative and
family our village was conservative and
family our village was conservative and discriminations were deeply rooted in
discriminations were deeply rooted in
discriminations were deeply rooted in the culture the birth of boys was
the culture the birth of boys was
the culture the birth of boys was cherished celebrated by firing guns into
cherished celebrated by firing guns into
cherished celebrated by firing guns into the year and by sharing delicious food
the year and by sharing delicious food
the year and by sharing delicious food while the birth of girls was a matter of
while the birth of girls was a matter of
while the birth of girls was a matter of shame and sadness I was 11 when
shame and sadness I was 11 when
shame and sadness I was 11 when following local culture my parents told
following local culture my parents told
following local culture my parents told me I was no longer a kid I had to wear a
me I was no longer a kid I had to wear a
me I was no longer a kid I had to wear a scarf I could no longer play outside
while most of my time was spent behind
while most of my time was spent behind the walls outside I saw recruitment
the walls outside I saw recruitment
the walls outside I saw recruitment slogans for jihad chopped on the walls
slogans for jihad chopped on the walls
slogans for jihad chopped on the walls of my village encouraging young people
of my village encouraging young people
of my village encouraging young people to go and fight in Afghanistan and
to go and fight in Afghanistan and
to go and fight in Afghanistan and Kashmir in Islam though jihad means
Kashmir in Islam though jihad means
Kashmir in Islam though jihad means struggle but the political Islamists
struggle but the political Islamists
struggle but the political Islamists have limited its meaning to violent
have limited its meaning to violent
have limited its meaning to violent jihad to war and we were told that under
jihad to war and we were told that under
jihad to war and we were told that under Muslim Brotherhood it is our
Muslim Brotherhood it is our
Muslim Brotherhood it is our responsibility to help Muslims who are
responsibility to help Muslims who are
responsibility to help Muslims who are suffering in other countries in other
suffering in other countries in other
suffering in other countries in other parts of the world thousands of young
parts of the world thousands of young
parts of the world thousands of young people went to fight
people went to fight
people went to fight I saw families receiving dead bodies of
I saw families receiving dead bodies of
I saw families receiving dead bodies of their loved ones killed and violent
their loved ones killed and violent
their loved ones killed and violent jihad their deaths were cherished in the
jihad their deaths were cherished in the
jihad their deaths were cherished in the village their families were considered
village their families were considered
village their families were considered more holier than other families and
more holier than other families and
more holier than other families and everyone believed that the whole family
everyone believed that the whole family
everyone believed that the whole family will go to heaven guaranteed
will go to heaven guaranteed
will go to heaven guaranteed and then jihad was the real part of life
and then jihad was the real part of life
and then jihad was the real part of life that was open to both men and women it
that was open to both men and women it
that was open to both men and women it was glamorous it was exciting and then I
was glamorous it was exciting and then I
was glamorous it was exciting and then I saw it as a way of breaking through
saw it as a way of breaking through
saw it as a way of breaking through those walls of shame but there was a
those walls of shame but there was a
those walls of shame but there was a problem my father he didn’t believe in
problem my father he didn’t believe in
problem my father he didn’t believe in war in any jihad he believed in peace I
war in any jihad he believed in peace I
war in any jihad he believed in peace I was 8 when we had to flee our village
was 8 when we had to flee our village
was 8 when we had to flee our village because my father was accused of being
because my father was accused of being
because my father was accused of being an infidel and we fear worse to come one
an infidel and we fear worse to come one
an infidel and we fear worse to come one day he heard us talking about religion
day he heard us talking about religion
day he heard us talking about religion and ever zeal for jihad he realised his
and ever zeal for jihad he realised his
and ever zeal for jihad he realised his own children had been indoctrinated and
own children had been indoctrinated and
own children had been indoctrinated and when he realized this he started a
when he realized this he started a
when he realized this he started a mission of his own a mission to reverse
mission of his own a mission to reverse
mission of his own a mission to reverse the harm that has been done a mission to
the harm that has been done a mission to
the harm that has been done a mission to plant seedlings of Hope and peace
plant seedlings of Hope and peace
plant seedlings of Hope and peace while others found while other people in
while others found while other people in
while others found while other people in our family and neighborhood were
our family and neighborhood were
our family and neighborhood were investing their money in buying land
investing their money in buying land
investing their money in buying land buying new cars and and building new
buying new cars and and building new
buying new cars and and building new homes my father decided he will invest
homes my father decided he will invest
homes my father decided he will invest his money in our better education and he
his money in our better education and he
his money in our better education and he started that by teaching us about local
started that by teaching us about local
started that by teaching us about local heroes people who had used their voice
heroes people who had used their voice
heroes people who had used their voice not weapons to make their communities
not weapons to make their communities
not weapons to make their communities better places people like bachi han who
better places people like bachi han who
better places people like bachi han who just like Gandhi has used non-violence
just like Gandhi has used non-violence
just like Gandhi has used non-violence to ask for independence from
to ask for independence from
to ask for independence from colonization people like Nelson Mandela
colonization people like Nelson Mandela
colonization people like Nelson Mandela to teach us about reconciliation he
to teach us about reconciliation he
to teach us about reconciliation he taught us about non-violent heroism and
taught us about non-violent heroism and
taught us about non-violent heroism and he started introducing us to ideas like
he started introducing us to ideas like
he started introducing us to ideas like secularism liberalism and pluralism and
secularism liberalism and pluralism and
secularism liberalism and pluralism and all that sounded so crazy then he
all that sounded so crazy then he
all that sounded so crazy then he introduced us to people who had very
introduced us to people who had very
introduced us to people who had very different ideas people who are free
different ideas people who are free
different ideas people who are free thinkers activists politicians and it
thinkers activists politicians and it
thinkers activists politicians and it was one of those meetings that changed
was one of those meetings that changed
was one of those meetings that changed my life
my life
my life one day my father took me to hear a
one day my father took me to hear a
one day my father took me to hear a woman sharing story of her 13 year old
woman sharing story of her 13 year old
woman sharing story of her 13 year old son her son used to go to a local
son her son used to go to a local
son her son used to go to a local madrasa after school to learn Quran and
madrasa after school to learn Quran and
madrasa after school to learn Quran and like any typical Madras on Pakistan he
like any typical Madras on Pakistan he
like any typical Madras on Pakistan he was taught the importance of violent
was taught the importance of violent
was taught the importance of violent jihad he was taught that God comes first
jihad he was taught that God comes first
jihad he was taught that God comes first parents come later so he did not need
parents come later so he did not need
parents come later so he did not need permission of his parents to go for
permission of his parents to go for
permission of his parents to go for jihad one day he disappeared his mother
jihad one day he disappeared his mother
jihad one day he disappeared his mother had no idea where the Sun has gone until
had no idea where the Sun has gone until
had no idea where the Sun has gone until one day she received his dead body and a
one day she received his dead body and a
one day she received his dead body and a congratulatory message congratulation
congratulatory message congratulation
congratulatory message congratulation you are the mother of a martyr you will
you are the mother of a martyr you will
you are the mother of a martyr you will go to heaven I had never seen someone as
go to heaven I had never seen someone as
go to heaven I had never seen someone as dua stated as that mother her tears of
dua stated as that mother her tears of
dua stated as that mother her tears of did me deeply her son story was my story
did me deeply her son story was my story
did me deeply her son story was my story too
too
too the only difference was opportunity he
the only difference was opportunity he
the only difference was opportunity he had the opportunity to go and fight in
had the opportunity to go and fight in
had the opportunity to go and fight in Jihad and thanks to my father
Jihad and thanks to my father
Jihad and thanks to my father I had not that was the day I knew I
I had not that was the day I knew I
I had not that was the day I knew I didn’t want to be that kid I didn’t want
didn’t want to be that kid I didn’t want
didn’t want to be that kid I didn’t want to bitch hardest anymore I don’t I
to bitch hardest anymore I don’t I
to bitch hardest anymore I don’t I didn’t want to kill I didn’t want to get
didn’t want to kill I didn’t want to get
didn’t want to kill I didn’t want to get killed
killed
killed I learned jihad brings pain not glory I
I learned jihad brings pain not glory I
I learned jihad brings pain not glory I was 16 I was transforming from the girl
was 16 I was transforming from the girl
was 16 I was transforming from the girl that had the dream to go for jihad to
that had the dream to go for jihad to
that had the dream to go for jihad to the girl that wanted to prevent it from
the girl that wanted to prevent it from
the girl that wanted to prevent it from the girl that wanting freed that wanted
the girl that wanting freed that wanted
the girl that wanting freed that wanted freedom for herself to someone who
freedom for herself to someone who
freedom for herself to someone who wanted freedom independence and
wanted freedom independence and
wanted freedom independence and decision-making for all woman me and my
decision-making for all woman me and my
decision-making for all woman me and my sister Saba we became determined to do
sister Saba we became determined to do
sister Saba we became determined to do something which will change the fate of
something which will change the fate of
something which will change the fate of girls in our communities we started
girls in our communities we started
girls in our communities we started visiting schools and neighborhoods and
visiting schools and neighborhoods and
visiting schools and neighborhoods and started listening to girls about issues
started listening to girls about issues
started listening to girls about issues which bothered them about things they
which bothered them about things they
which bothered them about things they would like to change in their life and
would like to change in their life and
would like to change in their life and we started giving them ideas on how to
we started giving them ideas on how to
we started giving them ideas on how to make those changes and we called every
make those changes and we called every
make those changes and we called every campaign aware girls I campaign which
campaign aware girls I campaign which
campaign aware girls I campaign which will help girls to make them speak up
will help girls to make them speak up
will help girls to make them speak up for their own rights by then my parents
for their own rights by then my parents
for their own rights by then my parents were very proud of their children and at
were very proud of their children and at
were very proud of their children and at the end of my first semester in
the end of my first semester in
the end of my first semester in university he sent me to a two months
university he sent me to a two months
university he sent me to a two months residential leadership course for young
residential leadership course for young
residential leadership course for young people for the very first time I was on
people for the very first time I was on
people for the very first time I was on my own with men and women with people
my own with men and women with people
my own with men and women with people from different religions and ethnicities
from different religions and ethnicities
from different religions and ethnicities yes we learnt hope peace and human
yes we learnt hope peace and human
yes we learnt hope peace and human rights but most importantly we lived it
rights but most importantly we lived it
rights but most importantly we lived it for two months and that was
for two months and that was
for two months and that was transformative and I realized I can be
transformative and I realized I can be
transformative and I realized I can be bold I can stand up
bold I can stand up
bold I can stand up against my greatest fears it’s changed
against my greatest fears it’s changed
against my greatest fears it’s changed my life
then in 2007 security situation in
then in 2007 security situation in Pakistan started getting worse savate
Pakistan started getting worse savate
Pakistan started getting worse savate Valley was occupied by Taliban and the
Valley was occupied by Taliban and the
Valley was occupied by Taliban and the news of suicide bomb attacks was common
news of suicide bomb attacks was common
news of suicide bomb attacks was common my City Peshawar which was known as city
my City Peshawar which was known as city
my City Peshawar which was known as city of flowers became the city of suicide
of flowers became the city of suicide
of flowers became the city of suicide bomb attacks most of them done by young
bomb attacks most of them done by young
bomb attacks most of them done by young people seeing young people killing and
people seeing young people killing and
people seeing young people killing and being killed was heartbreaking for me I
being killed was heartbreaking for me I
being killed was heartbreaking for me I felt so close to them I felt so close to
felt so close to them I felt so close to
felt so close to them I felt so close to them I could relate to them because I
them I could relate to them because I
them I could relate to them because I had been there I couldn’t close my eyes
had been there I couldn’t close my eyes
had been there I couldn’t close my eyes it was my calling my calling to counter
it was my calling my calling to counter
it was my calling my calling to counter radicalization my calling to prevent
radicalization my calling to prevent
radicalization my calling to prevent young people from being recruited in
young people from being recruited in
young people from being recruited in militant organizations and to give them
militant organizations and to give them
militant organizations and to give them hope so that they can unleash their
hope so that they can unleash their
hope so that they can unleash their potential to build peaceful and
potential to build peaceful and
potential to build peaceful and prosperous communities so we formed a
prosperous communities so we formed a
prosperous communities so we formed a youth Peace Network to stop more young
youth Peace Network to stop more young
youth Peace Network to stop more young people from being sent to their deaths
people from being sent to their deaths
people from being sent to their deaths in the name of religion while terrorist
in the name of religion while terrorist
in the name of religion while terrorist organizations were recruiting people for
organizations were recruiting people for
organizations were recruiting people for terrorist activities
terrorist activities
terrorist activities I started recruiting young people for
I started recruiting young people for
I started recruiting young people for peace building we started with a group
peace building we started with a group
peace building we started with a group of 30 young people and we draw drawing
of 30 young people and we draw drawing
of 30 young people and we draw drawing on our very own experiences we
on our very own experiences we
on our very own experiences we identified five key factors which pull
identified five key factors which pull
identified five key factors which pull young people’s towards militancy and
young people’s towards militancy and
young people’s towards militancy and extremism let me take you through those
extremism let me take you through those
extremism let me take you through those five elements number one militants
five elements number one militants
five elements number one militants promote one uniform world we’ve and
promote one uniform world we’ve and
promote one uniform world we’ve and reject all others as haram as wrong we
reject all others as haram as wrong we
reject all others as haram as wrong we bring young people of different faiths
bring young people of different faiths
bring young people of different faiths and ethnicities
and ethnicities
and ethnicities is to gather and give them the
is to gather and give them the
is to gather and give them the opportunity to know each other and to
opportunity to know each other and to
opportunity to know each other and to celebrate the beauty of it to lift the
celebrate the beauty of it to lift the
celebrate the beauty of it to lift the beauty of it number two they cut off
beauty of it number two they cut off
beauty of it number two they cut off young people from their indigenous
young people from their indigenous
young people from their indigenous identities making them vulnerable we
identities making them vulnerable we
identities making them vulnerable we reconnect them and we help them
reconnect them and we help them
reconnect them and we help them celebrate their indigenous history and
celebrate their indigenous history and
celebrate their indigenous history and their indigenous culture number three
their indigenous culture number three
their indigenous culture number three militants make young people feel worthy
militants make young people feel worthy
militants make young people feel worthy worthy and valuable through Jihad we
worthy and valuable through Jihad we
worthy and valuable through Jihad we make them feel celebrated too once young
make them feel celebrated too once young
make them feel celebrated too once young people start making difference in the
people start making difference in the
people start making difference in the lives of other young people in their
lives of other young people in their
lives of other young people in their community they start realizing they are
community they start realizing they are
community they start realizing they are valuable they are worthy number four
valuable they are worthy number four
valuable they are worthy number four jihadists offer only one kind of hero
jihadists offer only one kind of hero
jihadists offer only one kind of hero the martyr and offer only one kind of
the martyr and offer only one kind of
the martyr and offer only one kind of glory the glory of war my mentors taught
glory the glory of war my mentors taught
glory the glory of war my mentors taught me non violent heroism we support young
me non violent heroism we support young
me non violent heroism we support young people to become heroes in their own
people to become heroes in their own
people to become heroes in their own lives by rebuilding their communities by
lives by rebuilding their communities by
lives by rebuilding their communities by saving lives by bringing prosperity by
saving lives by bringing prosperity by
saving lives by bringing prosperity by bringing peace in their communities we
bringing peace in their communities we
bringing peace in their communities we help them see glory and heroism in goals
help them see glory and heroism in goals
help them see glory and heroism in goals higher than jihad number five we have
higher than jihad number five we have
higher than jihad number five we have learned that it is very important to
learned that it is very important to
learned that it is very important to engage young people individually while
engage young people individually while
engage young people individually while the political and social circumstances
the political and social circumstances
the political and social circumstances may might make them vulnerable to
may might make them vulnerable to
may might make them vulnerable to extremism and recruitment but their
extremism and recruitment but their
extremism and recruitment but their particular story their particular
particular story their particular
particular story their particular trigger to radicalization is personal so
trigger to radicalization is personal so
trigger to radicalization is personal so we get to know each individual
we get to know each individual
we get to know each individual relationships are key young people
relationships are key young people
relationships are key young people inspire other young people they become
inspire other young people they become
inspire other young people they become heroes and role model for each other
when we started our work no one believed
when we started our work no one believed we could bring any change but now we
we could bring any change but now we
we could bring any change but now we have grown from that group of thirty
have grown from that group of thirty
have grown from that group of thirty young people we are now more than 500
young people we are now more than 500
young people we are now more than 500 peer educator
peer educator
peer educator who are reaching out to more than 3000
who are reaching out to more than 3000
who are reaching out to more than 3000 young people every year we have impacted
young people every year we have impacted
young people every year we have impacted the lives of more than 10,000 young
the lives of more than 10,000 young
the lives of more than 10,000 young people at the risk of radicalization
people at the risk of radicalization
people at the risk of radicalization changing their lives and saving lives of
changing their lives and saving lives of
changing their lives and saving lives of many countless more it is a powerful
many countless more it is a powerful
many countless more it is a powerful strategy it works twenty years ago we
strategy it works twenty years ago we
strategy it works twenty years ago we left our village
left our village
left our village when my father was accused of being an
when my father was accused of being an
when my father was accused of being an infidel three years back I went back to
infidel three years back I went back to
infidel three years back I went back to work there with young people ahmud who
work there with young people ahmud who
work there with young people ahmud who was 14 years old came to thank us for
was 14 years old came to thank us for
was 14 years old came to thank us for saving his life he used to go to a local
saving his life he used to go to a local
saving his life he used to go to a local madrasa where one of his teacher
madrasa where one of his teacher
madrasa where one of his teacher inspired him to go for jihad but then he
inspired him to go for jihad but then he
inspired him to go for jihad but then he met one of our peer educators and he
met one of our peer educators and he
met one of our peer educators and he started and he started to ask himself
started and he started to ask himself
started and he started to ask himself questions if going to jihad is so
questions if going to jihad is so
questions if going to jihad is so important and duty of every Muslim then
important and duty of every Muslim then
important and duty of every Muslim then why not children of these jihadi
why not children of these jihadi
why not children of these jihadi teachers and Imams go to jihad he
teachers and Imams go to jihad he
teachers and Imams go to jihad he decided not to go there is still so much
decided not to go there is still so much
decided not to go there is still so much work to do in Pakistan and in other
work to do in Pakistan and in other
work to do in Pakistan and in other parts of the world so many places in the
parts of the world so many places in the
parts of the world so many places in the world are fertile grounds for
world are fertile grounds for
world are fertile grounds for radicalization radicalization does not
radicalization radicalization does not
radicalization radicalization does not happen in vacuum radicalization happens
happen in vacuum radicalization happens
happen in vacuum radicalization happens when political circumstances and
when political circumstances and
when political circumstances and individual circumstances collide with
individual circumstances collide with
individual circumstances collide with opportunities extremist violence knows
opportunities extremist violence knows
opportunities extremist violence knows no borders the militant groups and
no borders the militant groups and
no borders the militant groups and militants attacks that we had seen for a
militants attacks that we had seen for a
militants attacks that we had seen for a long time happening in my home in my
long time happening in my home in my
long time happening in my home in my home region are now happening in many
home region are now happening in many
home region are now happening in many parts of the world but I believe that if
parts of the world but I believe that if
parts of the world but I believe that if every young person is presented with the
every young person is presented with the
every young person is presented with the kind of opportunities I was presented
kind of opportunities I was presented
kind of opportunities I was presented with that our network offers then like
with that our network offers then like
with that our network offers then like me
me
me they can make different choices we need
they can make different choices we need
they can make different choices we need to tear down the walls in our minds and
to tear down the walls in our minds and
to tear down the walls in our minds and offer a new and more hopeful vision
offer a new and more hopeful vision
offer a new and more hopeful vision where everyone is valued and everyone is
where everyone is valued and everyone is
where everyone is valued and everyone is able to contribute and even a more
able to contribute and even a more
able to contribute and even a more powerful movement a movement for peace
powerful movement a movement for peace
powerful movement a movement for peace this is the hope I want to share with
this is the hope I want to share with
this is the hope I want to share with you this strategy is working in Pakistan
you this strategy is working in Pakistan
you this strategy is working in Pakistan and I believe it can work everywhere in
and I believe it can work everywhere in
and I believe it can work everywhere in the world thank you
”
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