Twin blasts rock Pak university

The bombers strapped with explosives blew themselves up within seconds of each other in separate male and female campuses of International Islamic University, as Pakistani military continued a major anti-Taliban offensive in the restive Waziristan region.
The blasts, the first such attack against a civilian institution, occurred shortly after 3:15 pm when thousands of students, including foreigners, were present in the university’s sprawling campus spread over 700 acres. The university is considered one of the world’s leading centres for studies in Islamic law, thought and history.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Interior Minister Rehman Malik said “all roads led to South and North Waziristan,” a Taliban stronghold.

The first bomber detonated his explosives at the entrance of a crowded cafeteria in the women’s campus, killing two female students and an employee of the university. Several people were injured by shards of glass from shattered windows and pellets packed into the bomber’s suicide jacket.

The second attacker blew himself up on the first floor of the Shariah law faculty in the men’s campus, killing two persons and injuring several others. The police arrested two men near the cafeteria soon after the attacks. Five bodies and body parts of the two bombers were taken to two hospitals close to the university, said Additional Deputy Commissioner Rana Akbar Hayat.

Security lapse

The university has been closed down till Saturday.
Malik said the bombers were able to enter the university’s campus due to an internal security lapse.

The brick walls of the university were blackened by the two blasts. At the cafeteria, witnesses said they had seen parts of the bomber’s body stuck to the ceiling. Glass pieces from smashed windows, shoes and clothes lay strewn over the bloodstained floor of the cafeteria. Several cars parked outside were also damaged by the blast.

The Interior Minister  said security would be further enhanced across the federal capital. Malik added that he had convened a meeting of heads of schools and colleges to review security at the institutions.