This story will continue to be updated on this link throughout today.
Whilst students at Bacha Khan University were commemorating the anniversary of the death of their founder Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan who died 20th January
1988, by enjoying a mushaira event (poetry recital), a group of militants stormed their university this morning and opened fire.
The gunmen entered Bacha Khan University in Charsadda, northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, after scaling the university walls under the cover
of thick wintry fog. They threw grenades into the building before indiscriminately opening fire on visitors, students and teachers in classrooms and
halls of residence, killing 31 victims immediately and injuring a further 18. The assailants were described as wearing uniforms akin to security
forces and being young, similar in age to the students of the university.
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, whom the school was named after was a famous 1920s independence activist and pacifist and was nicknamed Bacha Khan (king of
chiefs), as he had united the Pashtuns against the British Raj. He was a proponent of non-violent opposition and a close friend of Mohandas Ghandi,
he also condemned partition and supported the prospect of a united India. Today the university had an extremely large attendance of 3,000 students
who were registered this morning on the campus along with 600 guests. It is believed the significance of the date and the large attendance at
the university inspired the terrorist attack today.
This latest attack is less than 40 kilometers (25 miles) from where the Pakistan Taliban slayed 145 people, including 132 children, in a school attack
in December 2014.
Police, soldiers and special forces launched a ground and air operation at the university. Commandoes dropped into the campus by helicopters carried
out an operation lasting several hours to clear all blocks of the campus. A police statement has declared that four of the gunmen who stormed the university
campus have been killed in a sniper attack.
In the aftermath, troop transporters lifted the gates of the university and entered the campus with heavily armed soldiers. Other soldiers combed the
school’s outer walls with guns held at ready.
Ambulances surrounded the outside of the campus as paramedics rushed to place victims on stretchers, injured people who could stand on their own walked
past them in the opposite direction. Casualties were ferried across to Lady Reading Hospital for treatment. The hospital are running extra
staff and volunteers to cope with the demands of this emergency.
Rescue workers have named Professor Syed Hamid Husain, a PhD in Organic Chemistry as one of the fatalities of this attack. Students described how he
was shot while giving safety instructions to students of the university.
Known terrorist group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) often referred to as the Pakistani Taliban, have already claimed responsibility for the
attack. TTP is an umbrella organisation of various Islamist militant groups based in the northwestern Federally Administered Tribal Areas
along the Afghan border in Pakistan. Most, but not all, Pakistani Taliban groups coalesce under the TTP. In December 2007 about 13 Pakistani terrorist
groups united under the leadership of Baitullah Mehsud. TTP have claimed that the attack was in response to military action by the Pakistani
government against the Taliban.
An official of Bacha Khan University said, “Due to dense fog, security forces are unable to tell how many terrorists have entered the University.”
Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the BPCA, said:
“British Pakistani Christian Association condemns today’s terrorist attack. We mourn the loss of innocent lives and pray for peace and fortitude for the families affected. We are sending our officers to the community to see how we can help and will offer succour to victims irrespective of their faith.”
He added:
“Sadly despite numerous previous attacks Pakistan’s security forces seem to have progressed little and the nation is as volatile now if not worse, as from the moment they first received UK and US aid and support in tackling terrorism. Pakistani Government’s failure to control extremism in the country remains a blight on their reputation and is a danger to people across the globe. Sovereignty protection issues have prevented help from foreign nations that could provide essential expertise. Pakistan may want to review this wholly inappropriate position that prevents more direct assistance.”
BPCA has launched an appeal for the victims of this latest terrorist bomb attack. We really hope to help with medical costs, trauma counselling, funeral cost or any other assistance that victim families will now need through no fault of their own.
If you would like to contribute towards our appeal our bank details, paypal/visa payment facility can be found (here)
Please use reference: Love for Bacha Khan
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