As far as I can recall, the only ‘school shootings’ in Pakistan have been carried out by ISIS or Taliban, extremist elements, which targeted armed forces and western style education, and a girls’ school. Malala was born in the crucible of such a shooting. Disgruntled, misanthropic violence, which we see growing in the west, has yet to manifest itself in Pakistan.

The other horrifyingly violent act was mass hysteria instigated by extremist administrators and teachers of a university up north, against one student — Mashal Khan. A beautiful gentle poet, he saw the corruption rampant amongst top tier of administration and refused to stay quiet about it. He was accused of blasphemy and brutalized, then lynched in full view of hundreds of students who did nothing except make videos to post on utube and social media. No one was punished, as far as I know. Religion is best left alone.

Footage from his funeral, of his mother weeping and kissing his broken fingers was unbearable to watch. Not a bone was left unbroken in his body. May Mashal rest in grace. Amen. His name means a beacon.