14 Sunday Mail February 15, 2015 email [email protected] Investigation Brave sisters’ fightback The fear women Two courageous sisters – hunted, in hiding and threatened with death – being educated. Despite the have vowed to continue their fight against the Taliban in . death threats, we’ll carry on Saba and Gulalai Ismail have been targeted by hardliners since launching Aware Girls, a human SLAUGHTER rights campaign group. Rescue workers Much of Aware Girls’ work is in at a mosque in MURDERED David Haines province, yesterday where at least 4000 people have been after Taliban gunmen k illed in suicide attacks by terrorists killed 19 worshippers Victim David’s since 2010. Picture Getty Saba, 27, was just 15 when she brother on a funded Aware Girls with her sister, Gulalai, 29. Their initial goal was to peace mission promote women’s rights. Saba said: “There were so many The brother of murdered Scots human rights violations such as rape aid worker David Haines has and murder happening to women in started a UK wide journey to our community but no platforms for promote a message of tolerance. women to raise their voices. Mike Haines said he felt ­compelled to act after the “We want women to have equal ­barbaric death of his brother rights to justice, legal support and at the hands of Islamic State financial resources and access fanatics in September. to education and other social Mike, from Dundee, has services.” ­visited places of worship across Working with other a range of faiths. Each human rights groups, He said: “I am travelling Aware Girls campaigned around various places in the UK day against laws that at the moment trying to spread a when discriminated against message of unity and tolerance. women and started their “I have been visiting mosques, we leave own programmes for cathedrals, churches, all sorts our peace. In December of different places, across the 2011, Nobel Peace Prize UK. The aim is to fight division homes w inner of our communities. attended one of their ​ “I am trying to fight what the we don’t e v e n t s .​ extremists – by their breeding of Saba said: “She is our intolerance, fear and suspicion know if – are doing to our communities. we will friend and now a symbol I call it working for unity.” of honour for us. We told last month how be killed “Violent attacks are Mike, 48, is backing efforts happening to many by ­Barbara Henning – widow so I of murdered hostage Alan was happy Malala was able to ­Henning – to support website highlight the issue. See It Report It, which lets users “The Taliban fear women being flag up extremist material. educated. This is the biggest threat to the Taliban because they know that if women have power and Horror school information, then they can bring positive change. The Taliban are teenager flies afraid of young women.” Apart from to UK hospital women’s rights, A Pakistani teenager who Aware Girls focus suffered serious injuries in on preventing December’s Peshawar school young people being massacre has been flown to radicalised by the Britain for specialist treatment. Taliban which, Ahmad Nawaz, 14, is due Saba says, is an to undergo an exploratory increasing problem ­operation at the Queen in Pakistan. Elizabeth Hospital in She added: “Each were. She added: “They could have Birmingham to assess his day we never know been Taliban or criminals or even injuries and determine the when we leave our from Pakistan intelligence. We course of further treatment. homes if we will The hospital said Ahmad was cannot trust anyone.” admitted late on Thursday and be killed or come The family have been under back home. It is so had been assessed by a multi- surveillance by Pakistan’s disciplinary team yesterday. common and these intelligence agencies, who once Ahmad suffered severe things are causing made a threat to Gulalai that she wounds to his left arm so much fear in the would “disappear”. during the atrocity at minds and hearts The women were also publicly the school, which of the people.” denounced on a TV show as “CIA claimed more Saba and Gulalai spies” and there have been social than 140 lives on advice May, at midnight, four armed men suffer constant death threats. Saba, media campaigns to have them December 16. Last spring, armed men turned attacked our home asking for me. killed. Nobel Peace second “They claimed to be security officers up at their family home in Khyber from left, Despite the threats, Gulalai and Prize winner Pakhtunkhwa looking for Gulalai talks to who had come to search our home. Saba continue with their work. Malala Yousafzai so the family fled and are in hiding women They tried to enter forcefully but my Gulalai said: “We are as also had surgery in Pakistan. after father refused to open the door. determined as ever to continue at the hospital Gulalai said: “I thought that giving a “They kept banging on the door, our struggle for peace – even after being shot sooner or later I would be attacked speech shouting and threatening us. They at the cost of our lives.” in the head by a but I never thought it would then shot their guns into the air.” Taliban gunman happen to my family. One night in Gulalai does not know who the men Brave Campaigner Saba in 2012.