PESHAWAR, Pakistan: The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) has said that all four militants who stormed the Bacha Khan University have been killed and the building is now under complete control of security forces.
In a statement on his official twitter account, the Director General ISPR Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa said that the clearance operation has ended in the University, adding that no firing was being heard.
Earlier in the morning, militants attacked the University located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda town when a Mushaira in connection with the death anniversary of Bacha Khan was also about to begin.
The militants left at least 21 people including teachers, students and security guards dead and a similar number of other people injured.
In response, a heavy contingent of security forces including Pakistan army and police gave a befitting reply to militants and killed them.
The attack prompted a country-wide strong condemnation as leaders including President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, Awami National Party (ANP) Chief Asfandyar Wali, Jamaat-i-Islamic (JI) leader Sirajul Haq and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman among others condemned the attack and expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif, federal ministers including Pervaiz Rasheed, Baligh-ur-Rehman and Abdul Qadir Baloch as well as the PTI Chief Imran Khan visited the Bacha Khan University and reviewed the emerging situation in the wake of attack.
Separately, the prime minister held a telephonic conversation with the COAS and discussed the Bacha Khan University attack.
During the talks, the two leaders agreed to hurt terrorists with full prowess and agreed to take combat to its logical conclusion.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Ministers of all four provinces announced to observe a mourning day (KPK three days) on Thursday to express solidarity with the victims of Bacha Khan University attack.
The national flag will be half-hoisted on all the government buildings in and outside the country during the mourning.
Separately, a special security conference is underway at the Corps Headquarters Peshawar with the COAS in the chair.
The conference is being attended by all concerned including intelligence officials.
