Brenda Ruiz for People’s Daily

Pakistani Boy Saves School from Suicide Bomber

by Brenda Ruiz for People’s Daily

Early morning on January 9^th, a suicide bomber tried, and failed, to bomb the Ibrahimzai School in Pakistan. It was due to the bravery of one ordinary student that only two lives were lost instead of one thousand.

Aitazaz Hassan Bangash, 15, a 9^th grader at the school, arrived late to the school-wide assembly and stood outside the doors, waiting to be let inside. He and his cousin, Musadiq Ali Bangash, saw a suspicious looking person looking for their school. Aitazaz confronted and tried to scare the bomber away by throwing a large stone, yet the bomber continued trying to enter the school.

“The other students backed off, but Aitazaz challenged the bomber and tried to catch him. During the scuffle, the bomber panicked and detonated his bomb,” Musadiq said.

According to witnesses, the bomber and Aitazaz were severely injured and both died at the gates of his school, before any district police arrived at the scene. Two students were also injured from the shrapnel and were transported to the nearest hospital for medial care.

Musadiq had more to say about the bravery of his cousin. “It was a great sacrifice to save the lives of hundreds of both Shia and Sunni students, who were in morning assembly.”

The terrorist group taking responsibility for the attempted attack aimed to kill Shia and Sunni students for attending classes together. Officials say that the school's population, which consists of many Shiites, is struggling with the repeated attacks from Taliban militants and banned Sunni militant groups, like the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

The community is calling for the government to award Aitazaz a posthumous award for his sacrifice. “He saved hundreds of students. He deserves more recognition than Malala Yousafzai.” said Musadiq. “[He] made his mother cry, but saved hundreds of mothers from crying for their children.”

Aitazaz left behind his grieving mother, father, his eldest brother Mustajab Hassan Bangash, and three sisters.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif spoke highly of Aitazaz's actions. His “brave act saved the lives of hundreds of students and established a sterling example of gallantry and patriotism.”

Aitazaz's actions called to question the government's strategy on protecting the public from Taliban attacks. The provincial and federal government's stance to promote peace talks with the Taliban has also intensified since the attack.

Aitazaz is to receive Pakistan's Star of Bravery, which is usually only appointed to men in the military.

Many are hailing Aitazaz Bangash as a hero and role model. He is being compared to Malala Yousafzai, another Pakistani student and an education and women's rights activist, who was shot by Taliban assassins, but managed to survive.