Pakistan : More schools destroyed

Editorial:

WITH military claims that the battle against extremists in the northwest is meeting with success, certain optimistic circles think that militancy is being brought under control. This false sense of security should give way to a realistic view. The militants are very much present as evidenced in the coordinated attacks on schools at five different locations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday and Saturday. Explosive devices were set off at three boys’ schools in Dhoda and Zer Janu villages in Lakki Marwat district and in the Babozai area of Katlang tehsil in Mardan district; a government high school was destroyed in Khaddi village in Swabi district; and a primary school was blown up in the Kotangi Marchoongi area of Kohat district. While police have started investigation, the reality is that the extremists have been targeting educational institutions since the beginning of their campaign many years ago, and continue to do so.

The coordinated nature of the bombings demonstrates that despite security operations, the militant network remains strong. With the scope of their target increasing to include boys’ schools, the militants have proved that it is not merely girls’ education that they oppose, as some members of these outfits have claimed, but education — and development — in general. These attacks should constitute an urgent and renewed reminder to the administration that the threat posed by the militants is far from over. The military operations may have succeeded in clearing out certain pockets, but much more is needed to neutralise the whole network of militants. Meanwhile, the ANP-led administration of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa must buttress the military’s efforts with an efficient civilian security apparatus. Attacks on ‘soft’ targets such as educational institutions are often opportunistic crimes (even though they fit into the militants’ overall strategy of terror and retrogression), which civilian forces such as the police with their knowledge of the area are better positioned to control. The only long-term solution lies in an effective civilian security network stepping in after the withdrawal of the military. Bringing a battle-hit area and populace back to normalcy is a complex and multifaceted task, but it must be undertaken urgently.