This week Khaleej Times carried a report on the book “authored” by a teenager from Pakistan. This teenager came in the limelight after being shot by the Taleban and surviving, unlike other victims of her age, thanks to timely state-sponsored treatment in the UK.
Thereafter we have been seeing her read scripted statements and pose for photo shoots with various leaders of the world. She was awarded an EU prize for her work in the education of girls in Pakistan and nominated for the coveted Nobel peace prize. A teenager with so many achievements in such a short time is no mean feat. Now we learn that she has “authored” a book and is on the shortlist for the children’s Nobel prize. This rise to celebrity status is not on merit but due to the whirlwind media spin.
Avinash B, by email.