The top local government official in Swat, Kamran Rehman, told AFP he had spoken Monday by phone to Malala, whose story made headlines around the world and prompted the UN to observe a "global day of action" for her last month. "Malala Yousufzai called me from Birmingham hospital and said the provincial government should revert to the old name if there are security fears among the girl students," Rehman said.
"Malala expressed concern over the dangers faced by the students after the college was renamed, saying she would not like anyone's life to be threatened." Rehman said Malala's father Ziauddin Yousufzai, a former teacher and headmaster who has been appointed a UN adviser on education, backed her stance in the phone call. The official said he had written to the provincial government about the matter.