Disappointment in Kashmir over Malala missing the Nobel

From separatists to mainstream politicians and human rights activists, everybody in Kashmir seems to be on the same page on this. Pakistani teenage rights activist Malala Yusufzai missing the Nobel Prize has disappointed everybody across the party lines.

From separatists to mainstream politicians and human rights activists, everybody in Kashmir seems to be on the same page on this.

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Pakistani teenage rights activist Malala Yusufzai missing the Nobel Prize has disappointed everybody across the party lines.

While moderate Hurriyat chairman said this should not disappoint her as she has a "long way to go", mainstream politician and spokesman of Kashmir's main Opposition Nayeem Akhtar called her a "refreshing voice from Islamic world".

"Irrespective of her young age, she is a refreshing voice and a young crusader and Islamic world needs more voices like her," Akhtar added. "I was looking forward to a Nobel for her and am disappointed," he said.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is also valley's head cleric said that Malala's struggle is in tune with the teachings of Islam. "There is a lot of extremism from where she comes from and it's just the beginning. What she has started is a long drawn battle," he said.

"She represents a great cause, Nobel or no Nobel should not bother her," he said.

Human rights activists in Kashmir, however, had a different opinion.

"Nobel prize has become so controversial after the US president won it for killing so many people in the Muslim world. We don't think that for people like Malala and those who are working for human rights or democracy, it should matter," Khuram Pervez, coordinator, Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies said.