Surprise call: Anti-terror drill at school sparks panic

CPO informed the institution a week ago which chose not to tell students

MULTAN: Fear and panic spread among students as well as their parents as law enforcement agencies conducted a mock drill outside the La Salle High School on Monday.

Unaware of the exercise, students started screaming and fleeing when they saw a large number of law enforcement personnel with their faces covered and guns moving in the corridors of the school.

Multan City Police Officer (CPO) Mohammad Ahsan Younas said the purpose of the drill at the school was to check the quick response of police, ambulance services and other law enforcement departments. This was a test to check how they all cooperate and work together to deal with a real terror attack, he added.

On the other hand, parents of students got afraid due to mock exercises held at the school ith several of them coming to the school, trying to rescue their children after seeing police.

Arsalan Yousaf, the father of a Class-VI student, said one of his friends called him to inform something terrible had happened at the school, where ambulances and police vehicles were gathered. “I rushed to the school to ensure my son was safe,” he added.

Sakeena Zehra, the mother of another student, was angry at the school administration for not informing them beforehand. Due to the unrest and frequent terrorist attacks in the country, every mother feels restless at home until her child arrives safely,” she added.

The CPO said that district administration held a meeting with the school administration a week ago. The details of participating agencies were provided to the school administration and it was the mistake of the school administration who kept the parents unaware, he added. He apologised to the parents on behalf of the school administration.

Sports teacher at the school, Samuel said some students were intentionally kept in the dark about the drill to check their responses. However, most of the students were briefed during the assembly about the mock drill. Another sports teacher, Afazl said that panic was created by the parents as most of the students behaved normal.

Staff of Civil Defence, Fire Brigade, Rescue 1122 and Counter Terrorism Department from Special Branch also took part in the mock drill.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2016.