People in Surrey will be gathering in Holland Park tonight to remember the victims of one of deadliest attacks to hit Pakistan in recent years.
Taliban gunmen opened fire at a military-run school in the north western city of Peshawar Tuesday before government troops could interfere and end the siege.
The attack left at least 140 people dead, mostly children and teenagers.
The attack has shocked people in Pakistan and around the world. Even Taliban militants in neighboring Afghanistan decried the killing spree, condemning the attack as “un-Islamic.”
READ MORE: Why is the Afghan Taliban condemning the Pakistan Taliban attack?
Many Facebook and Twitter users have rallied together and are changing their profile pictures to a black photo, declaring Tuesday ‘Black Day’ as the world mourns the victims.
Here in Canada, both Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird condemned the attack.
READ MORE: In wake of attacks, Canada offers condolences to families in Australia, Pakistan
Shahzad Nazir Khan with the Committee of Progressive Pakistani Canadians, who organized the vigil in Surrey, says he was sitting at home, watching TV Monday night when his friend called him and told him to watch Pakistani news.
“The death toll just kept rising. The whole night, we as a family, went through the pain, the sorrow and the grief,” says Khan. “Because there could be political differences, but we have not seen this kind of tragedy, at least in my lifetime.”
WATCH: Aftermath of deadly Taliban attack on Pakistani school
Khan says he felt the need for the community to come together and mourn the victims.
“We are getting condolence messages from the South Asian community, from the Chinese community. We were amazed, this happened in Pakistan, but the pain was felt across the globe.”
Meera Gill is a family friend of organizer Shahzad Khan.
Gill hails from India originally, and says the two communities have always spoken about the need to unite. She says the attack is not just a Pakistani issue, but a tragedy that breaks the heart of any parent.
The vigil will take place at 5 p.m. in Holland Park.
The organizers are inviting any speakers who may wish to share a speech or recite a poem. They are asking attendees to show their support by bringing banners or signs that include messages of peace and unity. People are also encouraged to bring candles.
For more information, go here.
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