Attacking education: Two govt boys schools destroyed by militants

The two boys schools damaged in the blasts are Government Primary School and Government Primary School.

LAKKI MARWAT:

Two state-run primary schools were destroyed by unidentified militants in Lakki Marwat late Friday night.

The two boys schools damaged in the blasts are Government Primary School (GPS) Paharkhel and Government Primary School Kotka Nasrullah Khan, located in Paharkhel Paka. Paharkhel village is situated 50 kilometres west of Lakki city – where locals claim watchmen are fearful of performing their duty.

The explosions completely destroyed three rooms and a veranda in GPS Paharkhel. Similarly, two rooms and a veranda of the second school were left in an unusable state. A hujra adjacent to the school was also demolished in the impact.

A police official in the area said a search operation was launched, but no arrests were made till the filing of this report. The exact number of blasts and intensity of explosives are also yet to be ascertained.

More than a dozen schools have been blown up by unidentified miscreants in persistent militant activities in the area. Locals maintain residents of the area are not willing to act as watchmen or be part of vigilance teams; those meant to be on duty at schools and other targeted installations are often found absent at the time of such incidents.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 30^th, 2013.