--- description: Hundreds of students gathered for assembly saved from harm because of boy's actions title: Pakistan Hero: Boy Stops Suicide Bomber image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Pakistan](/tag/pakistan/) ## Pakistan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Pakistani Boy Dies While Saving School From Suicide Bomber by [Per Liljas](/author/per-liljas/) ## Per Liljas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 10, 2014 4:20 AM CUT by [Per Liljas](/author/per-liljas/) ## Per Liljas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 10, 2014 4:20 AM CUT Pakistan is paying tribute to a 14-year-old hero who [died](http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/09/world/asia/pakistan-boy-stops-suicide-bomber/index.html?hpt=hp%5Ft2 "undefined") while preventing a suicide bomber from entering his school. > [](https://twitter.com/Thaakat/status/421346873878671360) Aitazaz Hassan Bangash and his cousin Musadiq Ali Bangash were on their way to Ibrahimzai School in a Shia dominated area of northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Monday, when a man raised their suspicions by asking them for directions while clad in school uniform. “The other students backed off, but Aitazaz challenged the bomber and tried to catch him,” Musadiq [told](http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/09/world/asia/pakistan-boy-stops-suicide-bomber/index.html?hpt=hp%5Ft2 "undefined") CNN. “During the scuffle, the bomber panicked and detonated his bomb.” Both died and two others were injured. Nearly 2,000 students were gathered for morning assembly at the time. Pakistanis have been venting their outrage at Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LEJ), the militant group that has claimed responsibility for the attack, and calling for the nation’s highest military award for Aitazaz. > [](https://twitter.com/misiyeh/status/421211255303835648) Aitazaz is survived by his parents and two sisters. His father, Mujahid Ali, has returned from his work in the United Arab Emirates not to mourn his son’s death, he [told](http://tribune.com.pk/story/656766/saving-lives-a-teenagers-sacrifice-for-hundreds-of-mothers/ "undefined") the Express Tribune, but to celebrate his life. “My son made his mother cry, but saved hundreds of mothers from crying for their children.” \[[CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/09/world/asia/pakistan-boy-stops-suicide-bomber/index.html?hpt=hp%5Ft2 "undefined"), [The Express Tribune](http://tribune.com.pk/story/656766/saving-lives-a-teenagers-sacrifice-for-hundreds-of-mothers/ "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/342/pakistani-boy-stops-suicide-bomber/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/342/pakistani-boy-stops-suicide-bomber/"},"headline":"Pakistani Boy Dies While Saving School From Suicide Bomber","datePublished":"2014-01-10T04:20:30.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T06:12:38.424Z","description":"Hundreds of students gathered for assembly saved from harm because of boy's actions","url":"https://time.com/342/pakistani-boy-stops-suicide-bomber/","keywords":["Pakistan"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Per Liljas","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/per-liljas/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/pakistan/","name":"Pakistan"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/342/pakistani-boy-stops-suicide-bomber/","name":"Pakistani Boy Dies While Saving School From Suicide Bomber"}}]}] ```