Taliban shooting

The father of a Pakistani girl who was shot by Taliban militants for speaking in favour of girls’ education spoke to reporters Friday, telling them his daughter fell, but she was doing well and “will rise again.”

Speaking at the Birmingham hospital where 14-year-old Malala Yousufzai has been recovering after she was shot in the head, an emotional Ziauddin Yousufzai said he thought his daughter would die and he started preparing for a funeral, but a miracle saved her life.

The Yousufzai family, including her mother, father and two brothers, is now by Malala’s side and it released photos of Malala for the first time since the shooting.

Doctors have said that they don’t think Malala will suffer serious brain damage as a result of her injuries, but they said her recovery will be difficult. Already, Malala is able to speak and and can walk with assistance.

At the press conference, Yousufzai also praised the efforts of doctors and of all those in Pakistan, and around the world, who have spoken out against the Taliban in the days since the shooting.

“When she fell, Pakistan stood,” said Yousufzai. “And this is a turning point.”

Meanwhile, the search for those responsible for the shooting in Pakistan’s Swat Valley continues. CNN reports that, so far, police say they have six people in custody who were somehow involved in the shooting and they are looking for a seventh man.