The news came as the UN held "Malala Day", in the name of Malala Yousufzai, 15, a Pakistani education campaigner.

BBC: Pakistan 'to pay cash to poor to send kids to school'

Her story has been an inspiration to millions around the world, including Gordon Brown, U.N. special envoy for global education, and Ban Ki-Moon, U.N. secretary general, who proclaimed today, November 10, 2012, Malala Day and invited us to stand with Malala.

FORBES: Malala Yousafzai: The Children of the World Are Watching

"It was mayhem, " recalls Kainat Riaz of the day when her friend Malala was shot while they were on on their school bus last month in Pakistan's Swat valley.

BBC: Asia