apropos your editorial “War on education’ (Nov 12). I agree with the newspaper that extremists are jeopardising the future of countless children in the areas they control.
Over the last few years, militants have not only been attacking educational institutions in Pakistan, but also in other countries of the world.
On Monday, a suicide bomber attacked a school assembly in the northern Nigerian town of Potiskum, killing at least 50 students and injuring another 45. A report shows that extremist groups have targeted teachers, burnt down several schools and even kidnapped 300 schoolgirls in April.
Anyhow, this is not only the case in Nigeria but also in Pakistan which has been deeply affected by this war.
The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan has destroyed hundreds of educational institutions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Fata and Balochistan.
An annual report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan states that during 2011, 440 schools, including 130 girls’ schools, were targetted. In Swat alone from 2007 to March 2009, 116 girls’ schools were attacked.
In Makran division, Balochistan, from the beginning of 2014, at least 45 schools have been targeted by extremists.
Unfortunately, the government has been unable to arrest extremists and protect schools.
All countries should unite on one platform and wage a war against terrorists.
Bahram Sayad
Turbat
Published in Dawn, November 18th , 2014