Pakistan continues to honour teenage bomb hero

           Corps Headquarters Peshawar recommends

     Aitzaz for Gallantry Award on Pakistan Day

By ALI HUSSAIN

Corps Headquarters Peshawar has recommended posthumous gallantry award for 15-year old Aitzaz Hassan who sacrificed his life and saved hundreds of his schoolmates when he stopped a suicide bomber last week in front of his school in Ibrahimzai village of Hangu district.

According to sources the Corps Headquarters Peshawar, in recognition of Aitzaz’s brave and selfless act that prevented the suicide bomber from detonating explosives at his school, has recommended the prestigious gallantry award.

The award would be conferred on March 23, 2014 on the eve of Pakistan Day. The sources said that the recommendation has been sent to Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who would forward it to the federal government.

The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has decided to name his school and a stadium (to be constructed) after Aitzaz Hassan in recognition of his heroic action.

Talking to this correspondent, Muddassir Ali Advocate, cousin of Aitzaz Hassan, said that a delegation on behalf of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa comprising his special assistant Amjad Khan Afridi and special adviser MPA Ziaullah Afridi visited Aitzaz’s family and laid a floral wreath on his grave.

He said that the chief minister’s special adviser announced that Aitzaz’s school will be named after him while a recommendation will be forwarded to the chief minister for up-gradation of the school to college level.

He further revealed that the adviser also announced Rs50,00,000 (50 laks) for the bereaved family of Aitzaz Hassan, besides announcing construction of a stadium at his village to be named after him.

Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan lashed out at his party’s chief minister Pervez Khattak for not visiting Aitzaz’s family at his village. “They [delegation of KP government] also tendered an apology for visiting our home late…we’re disappointed but being Pakhtuns, we just forget our dismay whenever a guest comes at our home”, Mudassir added.

He, however, regretted that the local Member National Assembly, Khayal Zaman and Member Provincial Assembly Shah Faisal, both PTI’s parliamentarians from the constituency, did not approach Aitzaz’s family so far. “Indeed, we are disappointed over the attitude of our own public representatives — the MNA and MPA — who were quick to visit us for getting vote but did not bother to visit us at this critical time”, he lamented.

Aitzaz Hassan has become a national hero and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has already advised President Mamnoon Hussain "to approve the conferment of Sitara-e-Shujjat (star of bravery) to Shaheed (martyred) Aitzaz Hassan.

Muddassir further said that Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Eng Shaukatullah Khan also visited Aitzaz’s family and laid floral wreaths on his grave on behalf of President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, besides expressing condolences with them. He said that PPP’s MPA Nighat Orakzai also visited Shaheed's village and grave.

The army took the lead in not only declaring Aitzaz Hassan a national hero and Shaheed (martyr). “Nation is proud of this young Hero [Aitzaz Hassan] who has set a sterling example of bravery and sacrifice at a young age of 15 years and has sacrificed his today for our better tomorrow”, Gen Raheel Sharif, chief of army staff was quoted by an ISPR press release issued recently.

It further said that Brigadier Nadeem Zaki Manj, Local Commander in Hangu, visited the grave of young student Aitzaz Hussain (Shaheed), who sacrificed his life to save hundreds of his school fellows from a suicide attack, laid a floral wreath on behalf of COAS and offered Fateha. He also conveyed Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif's rich tributes to the bereaved family on the bravery and sacrifice of Aitzaz Hassain.

The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) awarded first Gallantry Award to Aitzaz Hassan on Sunday which was presented by Director International Human Rights Commission Muhammad Shahid Amin Khan to father of Aitzaz Hassan‚ Mujahid Ali.