Govt educational institutes without proper security, says Police

Impossible task of fortifying all schools, colleges in K-P, FATA returns to haunt parents

PESHAWAR:

Most government schools and educational institutes are without proper security arrangements—vulnerable to attacks—confirm police officials.

A question mark hangs on the safety of soft-bellied institutions after the Bacha Khan University Charsadda assault on Wednesday, Army Public School Peshawar massacre and subsequent threat alerts.



Talking to The Express Tribune on Wednesday, a police official requesting anonymity said after the APS attack, a questionnaire was sent to almost all private schools in the district asking them to install CCTV cameras, increase the number of armed guards, place concrete blocks and maintain log book for guests. While officials from private institutes were booked for failing to fulfil security requirements, the official said government schools and colleges were left to their own devices.

Not the Great Wall

“Security measures for government schools were limited to increasing the height of walls; the police paid no attention to their safety as it was seen as the government’s responsibility,” shared the police official.

Cantt SP Kashif Zulfiqar told The Express Tribune 334 private educational institutes and 144 public sector institutes were under his jurisdiction. “We registered 181 FIRs against principals and 187 people have been charged and arrested,” he said.

Zulfiqar added recently schools situated in clusters, particularly in the cantonment, were being provided security. He said several rehearsals were held – emergency drills.



“Today most of the parents panicked and took their children from schools,” he said, adding, “We provided police to those government institutes which remained open.”

However, the city has been in a perpetual state of fear since Saturday when schools were evacuated and searched.  A day before the attack, there were rumors of an attacker in Government High School for Girls in Saddar, causing children to rush home. The government dismissed the panic as rumours, but today’s attack turned out to be a bloody reality.



Damage control

CCPO Mubarak Zeb Khan called a meeting of police officials in the evening to discuss the latest situation regarding protecting educational institutes.

Police checked and inspected government colleges in the district and advised administrations about possible measures to heighten security. Security reviews of schools in the district were conducted, which revealed public sector educational institutes were still vulnerable.

The ability to secure every school in every city, town and village of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Fata is a non-starter strategy. But with educational institutes seen as low-cost and high-impact targets, the provincial government had no choice but to impose an almost impossible measure after the Army Public School massacre on December 16, 2014. Nonetheless, a little over a year later, the province is burying its babies again.

Directives issued

All educational institutions will remain closed in Charsadda for 10 days while University of Swabi and Benazir Shaheed Women University, Swabi will remain closed for an indefinite period.

University of Engineering and Technology Jalozai Campus in Nowshera will also remain closed till further notice.

Perhaps the pen is not mightier than the sword in K-P

According to a press release issued by the university, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan will remain closed till January 24. BA and BSc exams will be held as per schedule.

However, University of Peshawar including Agricultural University, University of Engineering and Technology, Islamia College and University, Khyber Medical College, University Public School and College are to remain open. This was decided in a meeting of all campus universities vice chancellors held at UoP on Wednesday. The VCs decided to strengthen security instead.

Talking to The Express Tribune, UoP Spokesperson Akhtar Amin said all departments and hostels will remain operational and university staff will be available on campus. “Security is already on high-alert which will be improved upon further after the Bacha Khan University attack,” he said.

Three-day mourning

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has announced a three-day mourning period across the province. In a handout, government spokesperson Mushtaq Ghani said the nation’s flag would be hoisted on half-mast and prayers for the deceased will be held.

While commending the role played by university guards and local police, Ghani said locals, Professor Dr Syed Hamid Hussain, PTI president and Charsadda nazim demonstrated utmost bravery against the terrorists.

The K-P chief secretary monitored the situation all day. The spokesperson added the chief minister who was on a visit abroad was returning immediately.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2016.