Malala's father speaks

Malala's father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, has played a vital role in his daughter's upbringing and intellectual development. The 17-year-old Nobel peace laureate, who was shot by the Taliban in the restive town of Swat in 2012 for promoting girls' education, acknowledges her father's influence on her life and ideology in her best-selling book "I am Malala."

The teenage activist's critics – most of whom are from her home country – claim that since the assassination attempt on Malala, Ziauddin Yousafzai has been "managing" the global icon, promoting her, and even putting words into her mouth, an allegation denied by Malala's countless supporters.

In a DW interview, Yousafzai chooses to talk about Malala instead of himself. He says that his family, which has been residing in the United Kingdom since the attack on his daughter, would return to Pakistan soon, and that people have the right to criticize the youngest-ever Nobel peace prize winner.

DW: Do you intend to go back to Pakistan?

Ziauddin Yousafzai: We might go back to Pakistan this year after Malala's school exams. The date is not confirmed, but we are determined to return.

It is almost impossible for the media to access Malala. She was last seen in public while collecting her Nobel Prize in Stockholm. Why is it so difficult to reach a person who is an activist and who is supposed to be among the people?

The main reason for this isolation is that Malala has to take her exams in June. She is only focused on her studies at the moment. We politely decline the invitations to seminars and conferences. There is nothing more important for Malala than her education. She wants to secure good grades in all subjects.

A lot of people in Pakistan love Malala, but there is also bitter opposition against her in the country. Have you ever received threatening messages?

No, we have never experienced that. People have the right to oppose her. When you achieve so much success, become so important, some people are bound to be against you, while others will love you. But there has never been anything too worrying for us.

A number of Pakistani schools have banned Malala's autobiography, "I am Malala." How do you react to that?

It is not true. Most Pakistani schools have not banned "I am Malala." It's a tiny minority which opposes the book – four or five people. These people claim they have an organization that represents 150,000 schools in the Punjab province. It is a lie because there aren't as many schools in the whole country.

Some people want to get publicity by making such claims. Malala's book doesn't harm anybody. I send it to my friends from England to Pakistan. Media distorts facts.

To what extent has Malala been inspired by you and how have you influenced her life?

I think Malala would be in a better position to answer this question. I can only say that I, too, was an activist and my daughter might have taken inspiration from that. She grew up in an environment similar to mine. She started her struggle at an early stage of her life, and it was natural.

Malala says she wants to become Pakistan's prime minister one day. Which party would she like to join and why?

We can't say anything about this at this point.

The interview was conducted by Imtiaz Ahmad.