March 21, 2008	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 12, 1429

MANSEHRA, March 20: Government Girls Degree College Mansehra principal has sought the help of police as local Taliban have threatened the administration of the college to declare veil as part of uniform or face the consequences, Dawn has learnt.

Sources told this correspondent that after receiving the threatening letter, apparently sent by Taliban, the principal sought help of district police officer for help and asked for deployment of law enforcement personnel at the college.

Changaz Khan, the principal of Islamia Public Schools and College, told Dawn that he also received a threatening letter from such elements but added that he suspected some locals were involved in the cowardly act. Schools were only imparting education but miscreants wanted to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in the area, he said.

He said that some of the institutions had received the threatening letters without any name and or any other nomenclature on it, which clearly indicated that such letters might be sent to defame the reputation of the schools.

Mr Khan said that the letter asked for separation of girls and boys sections. “There is no private college in Mansehra where the girls and boys sections are in the same building or classroom,” he added. He said that rumours were being spread about Taliban that they would blow up the educational institutions.

The principal of Garden Public School, Mohammad Munir, in a statement made it clear that administration of the school did not receive any threatening letter by the Taliban but some miscreants wanted to disrupt the peaceful environment and create fear among the innocent students.