Bold

A 14-year-old boy is being hailed as a hero in Pakistan for tackling a suicide bomber --
dying at the main gate of his school and saving
schoolmates gathered for their morning assembly. Ninth-grader Aitazaz Hassan Bangash was on his
way to the Ibrahimzai School on Monday in the
Hangu district of northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
province when the bomber, dressed in a school
uniform, asked him where the school was, the
teen's cousin told CNN. Aitazaz and his cousin, Musadiq Ali Bangash,
became suspicious, Musadiq said. "The other students backed off, but Aitazaz
challenged the bomber and tried to catch him.
During the scuffle, the bomber panicked and
detonated his bomb," he said. Rajab Ali, who also witnessed the bombing, told
CNN that he saw Aitazaz throw a large stone at a
boy trying to enter the school. The blast happened
when Aitazaz grabbed him, he said. Aitazaz and the bomber died at the scene.
Witnesses say the blast injured two other people. Iftikhar Ahmed, a Hangu district police officer,
confirmed the details of the attack to CNN. Hangu is a troubled district bordering Pakistan's
tribal areas. It is rife with sectarian violence, with
attacks against Shia and Sunni Muslims. "It was a great sacrifice to save the lives of
hundreds of both Shia and Sunni students, who
were in morning assembly," Musadiq said. Aitazaz is survived by his father, Mujaad Ali
Bangash, a laborer; his elder brother, Mustajab
Hassan Bangash, a student in Pakistan; and three
sisters. Local residents such as Nawaz Khan are calling
for Aitazaz to receive a posthumous award for his
bravery. "He saved the lives of hundreds of
students. He deserves more recognition than
Malala Yousafzai," he said. Pakistanis are comparing him to Malala, the
schoolgirl shot by the Taliban in October 2012 for
promoting education for all boys and girls. Pakistanis on social media are praising Aitazaz's
bravery, with people on Twitter asking everyone to
use hastags #onemillionaitzazs or simply #aitzaz
and calling for his heroism to be recognized with
an award.