Malala makes surprise return to Pakistan, vows to keep fighting for girls

Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai returned to Pakistan on Thursday, where she vowed to continue fighting for girls’ education.

Yousafzai, 20, made a return to her homeland for the first time since she was shot in 2012 by Taliban militants who were opposed to her advocating for girls’ education, The Associated Press reported.

Upon her return, she met with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

{mosads}She said during a ceremony at the prime minister’s office that she was excited to be back in Pakistan and that she had wanted to return “without any fear.”

“Always it has been my dream that I should go to Pakistan and there, in peace and without any fear, I can move on streets, I can meet people, I can talk to people,” Yousafzai said, according to the BBC.

“And I think that it’s my old home again … so it is actually happening, and I am grateful to all of you.”

According to the BBC, her trip will be four days.

Yousafzai gained national attention when she spoke out against the Taliban banning girls from attending school in her community and was then shot by the Taliban.

The activist has since become the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, at 17 years old, for her work advocating for girls’ education.