June 16, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-us-Sani 11, 1429

TIMERGARA, June 15: A school building was blown up on Saturday night as militants continued to intensify their activities in the relatively peaceful Lower Dir district.

Officials and residents said that two time devices had been planted inside the building of a private school -- The Educators, a project of the Beaconhouse School System -- one of which exploded at midnight and destroyed 13 out of the 20 rooms of the school building including science laboratory, computer lab and library. The furniture and power generators were also destroyed, however, no loss of life was reported.

Soon after the incident, security forces reached the site and cordoned of the area. During search, the bomb disposal squad found another bomb and defused it instantly.

Owner of the building Hamayun Khan claimed Rs5.6 million building losses while school principal Sanaul Haq claimed Rs1 million equipment losses. About 312 students, boys and girls, were enrolled in the school. Balambat police station registered a case against unidentified militants and started investigations.

Investigation Officer Aminullah said that a locally manufactured time-bomb, containing 12.5 kilograms of explosives, was used in the attack and the device was fitted in a pressure cooker. He said the defused bomb contained 12 kilograms of explosives, which could have blown up the entire building.

The watchman of the school said that he was sleeping when the incident happened.

The blast was third of its kind, targeting school buildings in the district in the current month. Earlier, a girls’ high school at Barkalay and a girls’ middle school in Namser were targeted.