Pakistan observes mourning for university attack victims

Umar Mansoor, of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Geedar group, Wednesday claimed responsibility for the Charsadda University attack as he had done earlier about the Army Public School attack more than an year ago.

Shots have been heard from within Bacha Khan University in northwestern Pakistan, state media and CNN affiliate Geo-TV is reporting, citing police sources.

Mohammad Khurasani, a spokesman for the main Taliban group in Pakistan, disowned the outfit behind the university attack, terming it “un-Islamic” and insisted the Pakistani Taliban was not behind it.

“Militants want them shut down”, provincial Education Minister Arif Khan told AFP.

Pakistan Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif called Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and shared investigation details of the attack with him, Bajwa said.

Based on initial reports, the militants raided the university and timed their attack during a ceremony at the school to ensure maximum casualties.

Flags on official buildings and the parliament were flying at half-staff and police stepped up security at schools and educational centers across the country.

The Taliban faction behind a massacre at a university in northwest Pakistan this week issued a video message Friday vowing to target schools throughout the country, calling them “nurseries” for people who challenge Allah’s law.

Most of the victims were students and their families were inconsolable. “The terrorists were continuously conversing on their mobile phones, two of which we have recovered and collected data from”, he added.

Officials said toll from the deadly attack at the varsity in Charsadda district has climbed to 21, Xinhua news agency reported.

Around 25 of their relatives held a candlelight vigil in Peshawar late Wednesday for those slain in the latest attack.

The security forces killed all four terrorists after almost five hours of gun battle.

Pakistan is not the land that raised just one Malala; it is the land where thousands of young Malalas courageously walk to schools, colleges, and universities every day.