Pakistani boy who died trying to stop suicide bomber is hailed as hero

Aitizaz Hasan, 15, is praised for saving classmates' lives by tackling bomber outside his school in north-western Pakistan

A 15-year-old who died while tried to defend his school in Pakistan's troubled north-west from a suicide bomber has been hailed as a hero for saving the lives of many of his classmates.

Aitizaz Hasan tackled the bomber as he stood outside as a punishment for being late to school in Hangu, a town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Monday.

His two companions fled the scene after spotting the bomb being carried by the man, who was trying to gain access to the school, but Aitizaz grabbed the bomber.

Unable to stop him from detonating his bomb, Aitizaz later died of his wounds in hospital.

Hangu has a large community of Shias, an Islamic sect which many militant groups regard as heretics who should convert to the majority Sunni faith or be killed.

Aitizaz's actions are thought to have saved the lives of many of the 2,000 students who were believed to be in the building at the time.

"My son made his mother cry, but saved hundreds of mothers from crying for their children," his father, Mujahid Ali, told the Express Tribune newspaper.

"There are a handful of people in the world who are martyrs; I am now one of those proud fathers whose son is among them."

theguardian

Whenever I hear the word martyr and that part of the world I had never thought of anything truly valiant. I am fairly sure that the kid knew he wasn't going to survive and I just think what he did is worth being remembered. They live in what may as well be a warzone and suicide bombings are becoming increasingly common. The school was the target the mentality is join us or die. He could have run away but what he did is actually quite remarkable. With all the bad in the world we should remember there is still good and people willing to lay down their lives to protect it.

From now on when I hear the word martyr I will not automatically think bad I will first want to hear the story behind it. My sympathies to the family.

Good post but see earlier references.
Regards

reply to post by Shuftystick


Are you talking about how the article names the boy as a hero. Yeah I got that at first.

It is just when his family spoke of him as a Martyr my mind wanted to reject that terminology. I know it is just me and it has to to do with past experience but this story has made me re examine my...well preconceptions.

When I served the word martyr was not associated with anything good and I never thought much of it and kept that thought process. Maybe this is part of getting older I don't know. Aside from this story being about a heroic kid it is also about changing my perception.

Well I think the wording is what you were pointing out.

Yes, we are conditioned to think of martyr by association with Islamic Extremeism and death as a result of faith or beliefs.

This Kid was a hero no matter what other labels we may wish to,attach to him and his selfless actions.

My, albeit limited, knowledge of Islam and it's teachings are no matter what, children are sacrosanct and that virgins are not likely to be available to the bomber in his afterlife. Any excuse for suicide bombing of innocents is simply crap and it's about time the West along with Islam as a whole took this situation by the throat and acted together to stop it.

I know that's a simplistic view given all the problems that have plagued The Sons of Adam for a few years but it's a simple problem, don't kill the innocents, by suicide bomb or collateral damage! I don't give a flying fig for politics but I will support The Right To Life over politics, religion or anything else.

I'm not a Shaman or a Tree Hugger but I do know that the further away from technology and money that you remove yourself the better your life can be, materialism sucks, but where would we be without technology, not on ATS!

Back to OP, as I suggested on the earlier topic post, this Kids death should not be in vain and I would genuinely like to see something permanent to recognise his selfless gallantry. Hence the suggestion of a University Scholarship to commemorate the example he has shown.