Blown up: Another school destroyed in Mohmand, takes agency’s count to 110
Political administration official claims 30 schools under construction in Haleemzai tehsil.
Around 476 educational institutions have been destroyed due to militancy in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). PHOTO:REUTERS
GHALLANAI:
A state-run boys school in Mozi Kor Ghazi Baig, Haleemzai tehsil in Upper Mohmand was blown up by unidentified militants on Monday, bringing the total count of schools destroyed in the agency to a towering 110.
Two rooms of the building were destroyed in the blast but there were no casualties, political administration official Mohmand Jamshed told the media in Ghallani after the incident. A search operation was launched and 12 suspects along with the school’s owner have been taken into custody.
The official maintained around 30 schools in the tehsil are under construction and appealed to tribal elders to help the political administration reopen these facilities.
Around 476 educational institutions have been destroyed due to militancy in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), with Mohmand Agency having suffered the most. In the agency, Safi is the worst-hit area, where almost 80% of the schools have been destroyed in such attacks.
Apart from areas where the Pakistan Army has established camps and rebuilt institutions after successful military operations, no educational activity has been witnessed since 2008 when the schools were shut down.
In 2011, the education department announced reopening of schools, but some were revived only on paper. “I go to GHS, Nahqi Haleemzai which is 15 kilometres from my house as GHS, Lakaro has not opened yet,” explained Sajjid Khan, a student of Lakaro village in Safi. He claimed the administration shows the school is open on paper when it actually is not.
The government, army and various non-governmental organisations are working on rebuilding schools in militancy-hit areas, while a majority of people have migrated to areas considered safer to acquire education.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 20th, 2013.
A state-run boys school in Mozi Kor Ghazi Baig, Haleemzai tehsil in Upper Mohmand was blown up by unidentified militants on Monday, bringing the total count of schools destroyed in the agency to a towering 110.
Two rooms of the building were destroyed in the blast but there were no casualties, political administration official Mohmand Jamshed told the media in Ghallani after the incident. A search operation was launched and 12 suspects along with the school’s owner have been taken into custody.
The official maintained around 30 schools in the tehsil are under construction and appealed to tribal elders to help the political administration reopen these facilities.
Around 476 educational institutions have been destroyed due to militancy in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), with Mohmand Agency having suffered the most. In the agency, Safi is the worst-hit area, where almost 80% of the schools have been destroyed in such attacks.
Apart from areas where the Pakistan Army has established camps and rebuilt institutions after successful military operations, no educational activity has been witnessed since 2008 when the schools were shut down.
In 2011, the education department announced reopening of schools, but some were revived only on paper. “I go to GHS, Nahqi Haleemzai which is 15 kilometres from my house as GHS, Lakaro has not opened yet,” explained Sajjid Khan, a student of Lakaro village in Safi. He claimed the administration shows the school is open on paper when it actually is not.
The government, army and various non-governmental organisations are working on rebuilding schools in militancy-hit areas, while a majority of people have migrated to areas considered safer to acquire education.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 20th, 2013.