Family of boy killed in Pakistan massacre grateful for community outpouring

A Mississauga family is mourning the loss of a young boy who was killed when Taliban militants opened fire inside a school in Peshawar.

More than 145 victims were killed in Tuesday’s attack at a military-run school. Many of the victims were children between the ages of 12 and 16.

Waiqas Gilani, who moved to Mississauga just four months ago, said his 15-year-old nephew Asfand Khan was killed in the attack.

Gilani said the grief he and his family are feeling is overwhelming.

“Everybody is in Pain right now. They’re in a terrible pain,” he said. “It was just unexpected. One can’t even dream of such a thing.”

The grade 10 student was in the auditorium when terrorist open fire. All of his classmates and teachers were also killed.

Gilani said his nephew wasn’t feeling well that day and asked his mother if he could stay home from school but he ended up going because he had an exam.

“(His) parents told him we’ll take you early…They didn’t know,” he said. “The pain for his mother is more. Later you always think – what if I wouldn’t have sent him (to school)?”

Since the attack on Tuesday several candlelight vigils have taken place across the GTA as communities stand in solidarity with the families in Pakistan.

On Saturday hundreds gathered at a park in Mississauga to condemn the violence.

“We frankly don’t know what to do,” vigil organizer Moezzam Alvi explained. “The only thing that can be done is to come together in any form or shape and just hold hands. And that is what we’re doing today.”

Waiqas said he is moved by the impact this attack has had on people.

“Everybody else was showing the same pain… was showing that they’re concerned. I’m really, really grateful to all of them from myself, from my country, from all those parents and souls of those kids.”

Two more vigils are scheduled to take place in Mississauga on Sunday.

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