Education under attack: Girls’ degree college blown up in Jamrud

The Express Tribune

In yet another attempt of targeting the girls educational institutions, unidentified militants blew up Jamrud Degree College for Girls in Khyber Agency on Wednesday, an official said. The official of the Jamrud political administration said that the students decorated the building for the upcoming sports gala. “Militants have blown up the college damaging its boundary wall badly,” he said. Official said that Jamrud is a peaceful area as compared to other areas of Khyber Agency but militants were targeting the educational institutes unabated in the area. “Security forces cordoned off the area, however no loss of life was reported,” Political Tehsildar of Jamrud, Asmatullah Wazir, said. An education officer of Khyber Agency, Ashraf Afridi told The Express Tribune that the number of destroyed educational institutions has risen to 65. “We don’t know why militants are targeting schools and not letting the students to participate in the healthy activities and acquire education,” he said. He said that the same college was targeted by militants in 2010 as well two days before the annual sports week damaging three classrooms. Likewise, the Government Girls’ High School Ghundai Jamrud was also destroyed when three students won prizes for showing outstanding performance in athletics in the same year. He went on to add that whenever the students intend to hold a sports week or any other activity especially in the girls schools the militants target them. “The sports event would now be held in the nearby sports complex after three days,” he said.