Female senators express outrage over Taliban attack on Pakistani girl

By Ramsey Cox - 10/18/12 04:54 PM ET

A group of bipartisan female senators expressed their outrage to Pakistan's prime minister on Thursday over the recent Taliban attack of a 14-year-old girl.

“As the women of the United States Senate, we are writing to express our outrage over the barbaric attack on fourteen-year old Malala Yousafzai and two other girls in a senseless act of violence,” the senators, led by Sens. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), wrote in a letter to Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Thursday.

Members of the Taliban shot Yousafzai after she advocated for and pursued an education for herself and other girls. She’s currently recovering from the gunshot wounds.

“We applaud the fact that you and many Pakistani citizens have come out forcefully against these despicable extremists, whose cowardice is matched only by Malala’s unflinching bravery, and we hope that the Government of Pakistan can pursue and prosecute those responsible to the fullest letter of the law,” the letter stated.

The senators demanded that the government of Pakistan bring those who carried out the attack to justice and continue to confront extremism and violence against women and children.

“We believe an attack against Malala represents an attack against all women across the world and must not be tolerated,” the senators wrote. “We urge you to ensure that the perpetrators of this violence are brought to justice quickly, and that you might also redouble your own efforts to safeguard and advance girls’ access to education and opportunities for them to reach their full potential as contributing and productive citizens.”

The letter stated that countries that promote education for all children have higher living standards and economic success.

Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) also signed the letter.

Earlier this month, following the shooting, Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.) also sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, requesting that she provide sanctuary for Yousafzai while she recovers.