Sister of man suspected of Malala shooting says 'sorry' to victim and said his actions have 'shamed' the family

Sister of suspect Attah Khan apologises to young women's rights activist



'He has brought shame on our family', said Rehana Haleem

Comments come as Malala recovers in UK hospital



The sister of a man suspected in the shooting of Pakistani teenager Malala Yousufzai has apologised to the victim.

Rehana Haleem has apologised to the 15-year-old schoolgirl who was shot in the head for standing up to the Taliban, which was trying to keep young women from getting an education.



'Please convey a message to Malala, that I apologise for what my brother did to her,' Rehana Haleem told CNN on Sunday in an interview here about her brother, Attah Ullah Khan, 23.

Apology: The sister of the man police believe shot Malala has said sorry to the 15-year-old schoolgirl. Malala Yousafzai was targeted by the Taliban after campaigning for the right for females to get an education

Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, pictured with her brothers and father, is recovering after surgery to remove the bullet at a hospital in Birmingham

She added: 'He has brought shame on our family. We have lost everything after what he did.'



Malala is recovering at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham after surgery to remove the bullet.



She was in her school van on the outskirts of the city of Mingora in the Taliban-held Swat Valley when men with guns stopped the vehicle.



They demanded that other girls identify Malala. They shot two girls, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and fired at Malala, striking her in the head and neck, according to officials.

The shooting sparked international outrage and the Taliban issued a statement online saying that, if Malala were to survive, they would attack her again.

'What he did was intolerable,' Haleem added. 'Malala is just like my sister. I'd like to express my concern for Malala on behalf of my whole family; I hope she recovers soon and returns to a happy and normal life as soon as possible.

Shame on the family: Rehana Haleem went on CNN to apologise for her brother, Attah Ullah Khan, 23 who was involved in the shooting of teenager Malala Yousufza

'I hope Malala doesn't consider me or my family as enemies. I don't consider Atta Ullah my brother anymore.'



A day after the attack, security forces searched the family's house, seizing documents and pictures, and taking Haleem and her family in for questioning, she said.



The officers quizzed her about his mobile number and location, but she said she did not know how to find him.



Heroine: Pakistani students carry placards supporting Malala. The shooting has been widely condemned across the world

She and her husband were released so she could give birth to her daughter but her husband was once again taken away. Her aged mother, her uncle and another brother remain in custody.



Haleem said she had little doubt that her brother was involved in the shooting.



She said: 'If he was innocent, he would have come back and claimed he was innocent and come to the aid of his mother and our family.



'His behavior is that of a guilty man. How could he abandon us?'



She added that her culture considers hurting a woman to be dishonorable.



Police said last month that they had arrested six men in connection with the shooting but were still searching for Khan, whom they said was pursuing his master's degree in chemistry.