Southampton's Islamic community holds prayers after school children killed in massacre in Pakistan

Youngsters will be lighting candles today when prayers and two minutes’ silence is held at the Peace Fountain in the city centre after gunmen stormed the Army Public School in Peshawar.

It comes after hundreds of people in the city joined millions across the world yesterday to remember those victims killed in the terror attack together with the bereaved families.

More than 140 people, most of them children, lost their lives when Taliban gunmen opened fire.

Vigils have been held across the world as the international community has expressed horror at what has happened.

In Southampton prayers have been held in mosques while people have been expressing their anger at what has taken place.

Mohammed “Khanjee” Khan, secretary of the Abu Bakr mosque said: “Everybody is very upset. As a community we condemn what has happened.

It has nothing to do with Islam.”

During prayers at the mosque Imam Azizur Rehman repeated that.

He said: “You never know who these people may be.

Killing any one is killing a human being. It has nothing to do with Islam. It’s a crime wherever it happens.”

Mohammad Khan

Imam Mohammed Azjad also spoke.

He said: “All we can do is hope that this kind of thing doesn’t happen again in the future to anybody anywhere in the world.”

Ahmed Hussein of Southampton’s Pakistan Welfare Association has organised for prayers in English and in Urdu at the East Park on Sunday from 1.45pm.

Imam Atta ul Mustafvi from the Razvia Darul Aloom Mosque will deliver prayers in Urdu while Imam Mohammed Asghar Khan Zaidi of the Medina Mosque will deliver prayers in English.

Children can bring candles to light around the Peace Fountain before the two minutes’ silence during the service which will be attended by community leaders.

All are welcome to attend Mr Hussein has added that there is no strict dress code.