Islamabad: The Pakistan capital was on Tuesday shaken by twin blasts triggered by suspected Taliban suicide bombers at an elite Islamic university, killing at least five people, including two women, and injuring 40 others, the latest in a string of terror attacks across the country.
The bombers strapped with explosives blew themselves up within seconds of each other in separate male and female campuses of International Islamic University, as Pakistani military continued a major anti-Taliban offensive in the restive Waziristan region in the country's northwest.
The blasts, the first such attack against a civilian institution, occurred shortly after 3.15 pm local time when thousands of students, including foreigners, were present in the university's sprawling campus spread over 700 acres.
However, there was no detail about any foreigner being killed. Students from countries like China, Sudan and Somalia are pursuing their studies in the university, considered one of the world's leading centres for studies in Islamic law, thought and history.
No group claimed responsibility for the attack but Interior Minister Rehman Malik said "all roads led to South and North Waziristan," a Taliban stronghold where the army launched its operation over the weekend.
The first bomber detonated his explosives at the entrance of a crowded cafeteria in the women's campus, killing two female students and an employee of the university. Several people were injured by shards of glass from shattered windows and pellets packed into the bomber's suicide jacket.
The second attacker blew himself up on the first floor of the Shariah law faculty in the male campus, killing two persons and injuring several others.
Police arrested two men near the cafeteria soon after the attacks. They were taken away to an unknown location for questioning.
Five bodies and body parts of the two bombers were taken to two hospitals close to the university, said Additional Deputy Commissioner Rana Akbar Hayat.
The university has been closed down till Saturday and the students have begun leaving their hostels.
Malik said the bombers were able to enter the university's campus due to an "internal security lapse."
"We had asked all educational institutions to maintain internal security," he told reporters.
Today's terrorist strike was the first one in a campaign of audacious bombings and suicide attacks unleashed by the Taliban that targeted a civilian institution.
Over the past two weeks, Taliban suicide bombers have struck the UN food agency's office in Islamabad and security and police buildings in Peshawar, Lahore and Rawalpindi, including the army's heavily-fortified General Headquarters.
The brick walls of the International Islamic University were blackened by the two blasts. At the cafeteria, witnesses said they had seen parts of the bomber's body stuck to the ceiling.
Glass from smashed windows, shoes and clothes lay strewn over the bloodstained floor of the cafeteria. Several cars parked outside were also damaged by the blast.
At the site of both blasts, the walls and ceiling were pockmarked by pellets and shrapnel packed into the suicide bombers' jackets.
The Interior Minister said the bombers had proved by attacking the Islamic University that "they are not friends of Islam or Pakistan."
"They are testing the nerves of the nation. Pakistan is in a state of war and our forces are fighting on the border. (The militants) will make efforts to destabilise Pakistan," Malik said.
He said security would be further enhanced across the federal capital. He added that he had convened a meeting of heads of schools and colleges to review security at the institutions.
"We may consider closing the institutions if we think the situation is worsening or threat level is increasing," he said.
Hours after the attacks, authorities in southern Sindh province closed all education institutions till Sunday.
All educational institutions run by the military were recently closed for a week due to threats that militants could target them or hijack buses transporting students. Numerous private schools in cities across Pakistan have also been closed.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani condemned the terrorist attack at the International Islamic University.
Zardari said the operation against terrorists in Waziristan and other areas will continue "till their complete elimination."
Gilani said the "perpetrators of such heinous crimes would not be spared."
Observers said the terrorist campaign of bombings appeared to be aimed at creating fear among the people and pressuring the weakened civilian government to end the military offensive against militants in South Waziristan, the main stronghold of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.
Bureau Report
Why would Islamists want to attack Islamic institutions? Institutions which one would have thought would be their recruiting grounds. Could be an ISI plot to blame India and take Pakistan to war with India.
http://www.zeenews.com/news572070.html#
The bombers strapped with explosives blew themselves up within seconds of each other in separate male and female campuses of International Islamic University, as Pakistani military continued a major anti-Taliban offensive in the restive Waziristan region in the country's northwest.
The blasts, the first such attack against a civilian institution, occurred shortly after 3.15 pm local time when thousands of students, including foreigners, were present in the university's sprawling campus spread over 700 acres.
However, there was no detail about any foreigner being killed. Students from countries like China, Sudan and Somalia are pursuing their studies in the university, considered one of the world's leading centres for studies in Islamic law, thought and history.
No group claimed responsibility for the attack but Interior Minister Rehman Malik said "all roads led to South and North Waziristan," a Taliban stronghold where the army launched its operation over the weekend.
The first bomber detonated his explosives at the entrance of a crowded cafeteria in the women's campus, killing two female students and an employee of the university. Several people were injured by shards of glass from shattered windows and pellets packed into the bomber's suicide jacket.
The second attacker blew himself up on the first floor of the Shariah law faculty in the male campus, killing two persons and injuring several others.
Police arrested two men near the cafeteria soon after the attacks. They were taken away to an unknown location for questioning.
Five bodies and body parts of the two bombers were taken to two hospitals close to the university, said Additional Deputy Commissioner Rana Akbar Hayat.
The university has been closed down till Saturday and the students have begun leaving their hostels.
Malik said the bombers were able to enter the university's campus due to an "internal security lapse."
"We had asked all educational institutions to maintain internal security," he told reporters.
Today's terrorist strike was the first one in a campaign of audacious bombings and suicide attacks unleashed by the Taliban that targeted a civilian institution.
Over the past two weeks, Taliban suicide bombers have struck the UN food agency's office in Islamabad and security and police buildings in Peshawar, Lahore and Rawalpindi, including the army's heavily-fortified General Headquarters.
The brick walls of the International Islamic University were blackened by the two blasts. At the cafeteria, witnesses said they had seen parts of the bomber's body stuck to the ceiling.
Glass from smashed windows, shoes and clothes lay strewn over the bloodstained floor of the cafeteria. Several cars parked outside were also damaged by the blast.
At the site of both blasts, the walls and ceiling were pockmarked by pellets and shrapnel packed into the suicide bombers' jackets.
The Interior Minister said the bombers had proved by attacking the Islamic University that "they are not friends of Islam or Pakistan."
"They are testing the nerves of the nation. Pakistan is in a state of war and our forces are fighting on the border. (The militants) will make efforts to destabilise Pakistan," Malik said.
He said security would be further enhanced across the federal capital. He added that he had convened a meeting of heads of schools and colleges to review security at the institutions.
"We may consider closing the institutions if we think the situation is worsening or threat level is increasing," he said.
Hours after the attacks, authorities in southern Sindh province closed all education institutions till Sunday.
All educational institutions run by the military were recently closed for a week due to threats that militants could target them or hijack buses transporting students. Numerous private schools in cities across Pakistan have also been closed.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani condemned the terrorist attack at the International Islamic University.
Zardari said the operation against terrorists in Waziristan and other areas will continue "till their complete elimination."
Gilani said the "perpetrators of such heinous crimes would not be spared."
Observers said the terrorist campaign of bombings appeared to be aimed at creating fear among the people and pressuring the weakened civilian government to end the military offensive against militants in South Waziristan, the main stronghold of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.
Bureau Report
Why would Islamists want to attack Islamic institutions? Institutions which one would have thought would be their recruiting grounds. Could be an ISI plot to blame India and take Pakistan to war with India.
http://www.zeenews.com/news572070.html#
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