Malala arrives in Swat Valley after six years, amid tight security

Nobel laureate and prominent Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai on Saturday arrived at her hometown Mingora in Pakistan's Swat Valley after a gap of six years under heavy security.

It was an emotional homecoming for the 20-year-old as this was the place where the Taliban militants had shot Malala in her head for advocating girl's education in Pakistan while she was returning from school in 2012, Pakistan's Samaa TV reported.

The shooting drew widespread international condemnation.

The Taliban had later issued a statement saying that if Malala had survived the attack, then she would be targeted again.

The same year, she left Pakistan after surviving this assassination attempt. She now stays with her family in Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

Malala arrived in Mingora by helicopter and had visited her house, where she burst into tears.

Her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai and other members of the family are accompanying the Nobel laureate on the trip.

During the day-long trip, Malala will visit her school and meet some dignitaries at Circuit House in the city.

Tight security arrangements are in place in and around Malala's old family house and school. Also, roads leading to these places have been closed for traffic.

On Friday, Malala said she planned to return to Pakistan, once she completed her studies in the UK, adding that she wanted to continue advocating girl's education in Pakistan.

On Thursday, while addressing at the Pakistan Prime Minister's Office in Islamabad, Malala broke down in tears, while recalling that how much she had missed Pakistan ever since shifting abroad for treatment and education.

Malala and her family arrived in Pakistan late on Wednesday after spending about six years in the UK.

--ANI

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