Pakistan University attack: Over 25 killed, 50 injured as militants storm varsity

Peshawar At least 25 people were killed and about 50 others injured on Wednesday after heavilyarmed Taliban militants stormed a prestigious university and opened indiscriminate fire on students and teachers in Pakistans restive northwest KhyberPakhtunkhwa provincePakistani army soldiers take part of search operation at the Bacha Khan university following an attack by militants in Charsadda about 50 kilometres from Peshawar on January 20 2016 PicAFPThe gunmen entered the Bacha Khan University in Charsadda district of the province some 50 kms southwest of Peshawar and opened fire on students and teachers in classrooms and hostels media reports said Blasts and heavy gunfire were heard from inside the University campusPakistan TehrikeInsaf Party leader and provincial lawmaker Shaukat Yousafzai said that 25 people including a professor were killed and around 50 others injured in the terrorist attack on the University this morningThe injured were shifted to hospital An emergency has been declared in all hospitals in the town All schools have been closed in the area Yousafzai said between four to 10 attackers were involved in attack Such cowardice attack could not shake the resolve of the Government in the fight against terrorism he saidSoon after the attack a large contingent of security forces rushed to the site and started evacuating students Pakistan Army troops also rushed to the University from Peshawar and started operationPakistani army soldiers rescue people from Bacha Khan university following an attack by militants in Charsadda about 50 kilometres from Peshawar PicAFPArmy spokesman Lt Gen Asim Salim Bajwa tweeted that four terrorists were killed during operation launched by security forces to clear the University Snipers killed 2 more terrorists on roof top total Terrorist killed so far 4 All buildings amp roof top taken overby Army he tweeted Clearance of university block by block continues by Army troopsEarlier two terrorists who were firing from inside the university block were shot and killed by the army The terrorists were contained in two blocks within the university and troops commandos are participating in the operationSurveillance operation has been completed TehreekeTaliban Pakistan claimed the responsibility for the attack the Express Tribune reported Citing intelligence sources media reports said the terrorists are between 18 and 25 years oldUniversity Chancellor Dr Fazal Rahim said there are over 3000 students present inside the university along with an additional 600 guests who are present for a poetic symposium to mark the death anniversary of Khudai Khidmatgar Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan alias Baacha Khan who died on January 20 1988 Rahim said four guards of university and one policeman were killed in attackGeo TV reported that Professor Hamid Hussain of chemistry department was also among dead A teacher of the varsity after evacuation said Chairman Chemistry Department Hamid has been martyred by the firing of the militants it said adding the terrorists barged intoHamids room and fired at his head killing him instantlyPresident Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the terror attack and directed security agencies to clear the University of terrorists at the earliest Prime Minister Sharif is personally monitoring the situation and he is being kept updated about the latest development his spokesman saidSharif expressed sorrow and grief on the loss of precious lives in the terror attack and said those who attacked innocent students and citizens have no religion The government is committed to eliminate them he saidSpeaker and Deputy Speaker National Assembly chief ministers of Punjab KhyberPakhtunkhwa and Sindh and TehrikeInsaf chief Imran Khan also condemned the attack The terrorists barged into the university where the event was being attended by a large number of students KhyberPakhtunkhwa lawmaker Arshad Ali said the attackers entered the university after scaling its walls Dawn reportedOpposition Awami National Party announced 10day of mourningThe families of students have lined up outside the school Up to 20 ambulances have entered the university to rescue the injured it saidQuoting a Rescue 1122 official said Dawn said the boys section of the hostel has been affected and the victims have mostly been hit by bullets It said an Edhi volunteer has seen the bodies of at least 15 personsWednesdays attack comes a little over a year after Taliban militants massacred over 150 people mostly students in an assault on an armyrun school in Peshawar in December 2014