Pakistan teen dies stopping suicide bomber

11 Jan Aljazeera

A Pakistani schoolboy who died stopping a suicide bomber from attacking his school has been recommended for the country's highest civilian award, a provincial police chief said.

On Friday, Nasir Khan Durrani recommended Aitezaz for Pakistan's top civilian award - Sitara-e-Imtiaz.

Aitezaz Hassan, 15, tackled the bomber as he tried to enter a government school in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Hassan and the bomber died, but no other students or staff were hurt, police said.

"Though I lost my sweet son I have no regret for what he has done.

He has done a heroic job and I am proud of his bravery," Mujahid Ali, Aitezaz's father, told Reuters news agency.

The bomber approached the school with explosives hidden under a school uniform on Monday, but students noticed and started shouting out warnings to stop him.

Aitezaz tackled him head on, but the bomb detonated and Aitezaz died of his injuries, said head teacher Azmat Ali.

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a Sunni Muslim sectarian group, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The school is in Hangu, a predominantly Shia Muslim area.

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi believe Shia, who make up about 20 percent of Pakistan's 180 million people, are heretics, who should be killed.