10 Jan 2014

Boy killed tackling suicide bomber

6:45 am on 10 January 2014

A Pakistani teenager who was killed as he tried to stop a suicide bomber at his school this week has been praised for his courage.

Aitzaz Hasan, who was 15, spotted a man wearing a suicide vest outside the school, and tackled him.

Despite the pleas of his fellow students, he decided to confront and capture the bomber who then detonated his vest, his cousin Mudassar Hassan Bangish told the BBC.

About 2000 students were at the school in the Hangu region at the time of the attack.

According to Mr Bangish, people in the area would like to see the government give Aitzaz an award to recognise his bravery, and compared him with celebrated Pakistani education campaigner Malala Yousafzai - a comparison being echoed across social media.

Top policeman killed

In Pakistan's biggest city, Karachi, a powerful explosion has killed a senior police official well known for his work against the Taliban.

Chaudhry Aslam Khan, the head of the city's anti-terror operations, and at least two others died in an attack on a police convoy in the Essa Nagri area of the city on Thursday.

The Pakistani Taliban say they carried out the attack.