London ( CNN ) -- With the prospect of more surgery ahead and under the shadow of Taliban threats , courageous teen activist Malala Yousafzai was recovering at her temporary home Friday after being discharged from a British hospital . In an attack that propelled her to global recognition , Malala was targeted in Pakistan by Taliban gunmen for speaking out in favor of education for Pakistani girls . She was left with life-threatening head and neck wounds . Now , almost three months later , she 's on the mend but far from fully recovered . Doctors plan to perform cranial reconstructive surgery on her within the next month , replacing a shattered portion of skull with either her own bone or a titanium plate . The hospital released a photo to the news media showing a half-smiling Malala waving to photographers wearing a tan , gray and black scarf . Photos : Malala and the women of Pakistan . Video footage also showed her walking along a hospital corridor , her hand clasped in that of a nurse , waving goodbye to staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham -- her home for nearly three months . The transformation from images released immediately after Malala was admitted on October 15 -- which showed her face bruised and a breathing tube in place -- is dramatic . Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife welcomed her progress Friday , saying on Twitter : `` Good news that Malala is well enough to leave hospital . We wish her well as her recovery continues with her family . '' `` Malala is a strong young woman and has worked hard with the people caring for her to make excellent progress in her recovery , said Dr. Dave Rosser , the medical director of the University Hospitals Birmingham who 's overseen her care . `` Following discussions with Malala and her medical team , we decided that she would benefit from being at home with her parents and two brothers . '' As she recovers with her family at a house in the West Midlands , Pakistan 's consulate in Birmingham has hired Malala 's father as an education attache . Her parents and younger brothers , Khushal and Atul , traveled to England in the fall to be with her as she goes through the long rehabilitation process . Ziauddin Yousafzai will function as head of the consulate 's education section for three years , the Pakistani government said . His job could be extended for two additional years . iReport : Your messages for Malala . The 15-year-old became an international symbol of courage after she was shot by Taliban gunmen last fall for her crusade about girls going to school . She had blogged fearlessly about girls ' education and accused the Taliban of thriving on ignorance . The Taliban forbid girls in the classroom and have threatened to kill anyone who defies them . Pakistan 's Malala : Global symbol , but still just a kid . Malala was in a school van in the area on October 9 when the gunmen stopped the vehicle and demanded that other girls tell them who was Malala . They identified her . Malala was then shot , as were two other girls who survived the attack with lesser injuries . Malala was left in a critical condition , with her father later describing her survival as a miracle . When he left Pakistan to join his daughter , Ziauddin Yousafzai told reporters he intended to return to his native country as soon as she had recovered . It is not clear whether his appointment will mean the entire family stays long term . At the time of his daughter 's shooting , he ran a school in Pakistan 's conservative Swat Valley that kept its doors open to girls -- in defiance of the Taliban . Watch : Who are the Pakistani Taliban ? The attack on Malala prompted outrage and wide outpourings of support , in Pakistan and overseas . But even as anger about her shooting intensified , the Taliban issued a statement online saying that if Malala lived , they 'd come after her again . Interior Minister Rehman Malik promised government protection if the schoolgirl does return to Pakistan . Pakistani authorities are paying for her medical care in Britain . Since her shooting , Malala has become an international figure . She was selected as runner-up for Time magazine 's Person of the Year for 2012 . CNN and Time are owned by Time Warner Inc. Read more : Malala 's journey from near death to recovery . CNN 's Saskya Vandoorne contributed to this report .
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Khushal welcomes Malala Yousafzai release . She will continue to receive treatment as an outpatient , the hospital says . The 15-year-old will probably undergo cranial reconstructive surgery in almost three months later . She was shot by Interior gunmen for promoting education for girls .