Malala Yousafzai's Book Banned by Pakistan Private Schools, Academic Call Activist 'Tool' of the West

Some Pakistan private schools have banned Malala Yousafzai's book "I Am Malala," a memoir chronicling her experiences as an activist for women's education, after they said she misrepresented her home nation.

"Everything about Malala is now becoming clear," president of the All Pakistan Private School Management Assn., which represents 40,000 schools in Pakistan that have banned the book, Adeeb Javedani said during a meeting on Sunday. "To me, she is representing the West, not us."

Javedani accused Malala, who survived being shot in the head by Taliban after she criticized the extremist organization's interpretation of Islam, of becoming a tool of the West. He also said that he'd requested the government remove Malala-related content from all school curriculums, the Washington Post reported.

Chairman of the All Pakistan Private Schools Federation Kashif Mirza also said that his group has banned Malala's text from its affiliated schools, adding that the 16-year-old girl "was a role model for children, but this book has made her controversial. Through this book, she became a tool in the hands of the Western powers."

Mirza also said that the book demonstrated disrespect toward Islam, because Malala did not refer to the prophet Muhammad using the abbreviation PBUH - "peace by upon him" - which is customarily done in many parts of the Muslim world, according to the Washignton Post.

Some Pakistani academics think that her book, which was co-written by British journalist Christina Lamb, will cause confusion for its readers.

Malala was awarded the European Union's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in October. She was also a favorite for the Nobel Peace Prize, but the win ended up going to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Malala now lives in England with her family, the Los Angeles Times reported.