Abdul Sattar

A dozen lawyers are helping other women in the Swat Valley with divorce, custody and inheritance cases. Some of the women lawyers defied the Taliban to study law and continue to endure threats.

Ahsan Iqbal was shot after leaving a political gathering in his hometown of Narowal, in Pakistan's state of Punjab. The attacker is reportedly a member of a hard-line Muslim group.

The country's Supreme Court ruled unanimously to impose the lifetime ban on Sharif, citing allegations of corruption against the venerable political figure.

A new rights movement is led by an activist from South Waziristan, a front line in the war on terrorism. Manzoor Pashteen has attracted thousands of followers in his nonviolent push for reform.

The education advocate and human rights campaigner became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate after being shot in the head at age 15 by a Taliban gunman.