Pakhtunkhwa: Four schools blown up in a single day

http://www.dawn.com/

Continuing to do violence to child education in the province, militants blew up four government-run schools in Lakki Marwat, Swabi and Kohat districts early on Friday.

In Lakki Marwat, two schools for boys were destroyed by explosive devices in Dhoda and Zer Janu villages, which are 15 to 20 kilometres away from Lakki city.

An official of the education department told Dawn that over 115 children were enrolled in Dhoda primary school, while Zer Janu middle school had over 160 students.

Villagers said the bombing of schools, which were the only sign of development in their areas, had instilled fear into their children, who were reluctant to go to the destroyed buildings to continue with their studies.

In Swabi, a government high school was destroyed in Kaddi village after two bombs went off.

The incident occurred only a day after district police officer Abdul Rashid announced during a function of station house officers that police would ensure peace in the district at all costs.

Watchman Haroon Mohammad was present on the premises when bombs exploded. He, however, remained unhurt.

Soon after the incident, officials of Zaida police station reached the schools and began investigation.

Executive district officer (education) Abdul Salam, provincial president of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf Asad Qaisar and lawmakers visited the place and inspected the destroyed building.

In Kohat, militants blew up a primary school for boys in remote area of Kotangi Marchoongi.

Sub inspector of the bomb disposal squad Akbar Khan told Dawn over the telephone that a time bomb of high intensity was used in the incident, which caused complete destruction to two classrooms and partial damage to one.

He said four more rooms of the buildings developed cracks and that more than 20kg explosive material was used in the blast.

The administration announced indefinite holidays in the school and said classes would resume once rooms were repaired.

The Bilitang police station registered a case against unidentified militants and began investigation. However, no arrests could be made until the last reports came in Friday night.

Meanwhile, a former peace committee member`s bullet-riddled body was found in the fields near a tube well in Shiekhabad village in Tank district early on Friday.

Wife of the dead person, Nasrullah, told Gomal police that unidentified people knocked at the main door of their house Thursday night and took away her husband and later locals found his body at a deserted place near a Shiekhabad tube well.

Gomal police seized the body, fulfilled legal formalities and handed it over the dead person`s family.