Nobel Laureate and girls’ education rights activist Malala Yousafzai has tied the knot in a small ceremony in the UK on Wednesday. Malala gained international recognition for her activism against the Taliban's efforts to stop girls from attending school in Pakistan.
Announcing her marriage on Twitter, the 24-year-old shared a few pictures of the ceremony along with her husband Asser Malik and family members.
Decked up in a tea pink suit and simple jewellery, Malala is seen carrying out the wedding formalities in her home in Birmingham with Assar.
"Today marks a precious day in my life. Asser and I tied the knot to be partners for life. We celebrated a small nikkah ceremony at home in Birmingham with our families. Please send us your prayers. We are excited to walk together for the journey ahead. (sic)," she wrote in her tweet.
Taking to Instagram stories actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Katrina Kaif also wished the new couple. "Congratulations @malala Wishing you so much joy and happiness. You are an absolute vision!! (sic),” PeeCee captioned her story.
Who is Asser Malik?
As per reports, Asser Malik has been working in the sports industry. According to his LinkedIn profile, Malik is a ‘General Manager High Performance’ at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Malik is a graduate in economics and political science from the Lahore University of Management Sciences. He has also worked with brands such as Coca Cola and FrieslandCampina. Several reports from the west also suggest that the two have been private about their relationship on Instagram, however have known each other since 2019. On June 23, 2019, Assar posted a group pictures of him along with Malala, former Pakistani cricketer Waqar Younis and others at the Lord’s Cricket Ground.
Meanwhile, post-Malala’s tweet, her recent comments on marriage to an international fashion magazine have again stirred up a controversy. Back in June, Malala had stated that she isn’t sure if she will ever marry. “I still don't understand why people have to get married. If you want to have a person in your life, why do you have to sign marriage papers, why can't it just be a partnership?” she had said.
Malala was shot in the head by a member of the Taliban in October 2012 when she was 15. The activist was flown to the UK to receive treatment and since then she has been living in Britain. In 2014, Malala won the Nobel Peace Prize when she was 17 and became the youngest laureate to have received the prize. Last year she graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Philosophy, politics and Economics.