Why Taliban Attacked Islamic University

The worst example of terrorism is seen in Pakistan when two suicide bombers blew themselves one after the other at the new campus of the International Islamic University in Islamabad, on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. The blasts killed six people, including three girls, and left many other injured.

Taliban have taken credit for the suicide attack at the International Islamic University in Islamabad. As noted in yesterday's report on the attack, Taliban have no problems with striking at mosques, Islamic Schools and other religious institutions and events. The question is why Taliban would strike at an Islamic university where teaching of Quran Recitation and sharia is given along with scientific education. The answer is simple yet shocking. They want to destabilize Pakistan and few important factors made Islamic University a vulnerable place.

1) More than 6,000 women are among the 17,000 students at the International Islamic University in Islamabad. To the Taliban, women attending schools is against sharia.
2) There are more than 2,000 foreign students from 45 countries (mostly from China and Africa, according to Dawn. The foreigners are prime targets for the Taliban.
3) One of the suspected targets, the chairman of the Imam Abu Hanifa Block, is "known for his liberal views" on Islamic law.

Attack on Islamic University is condemned by every Muslim and non-Muslim in the world as it is a major setback for the people of Pakistan. The outcome of this attack is the stoppage of educational activities in Pakistan which is quite alarming for youth as well as for the parents of the students.