KHAR: All private educational institutions reopened in Bajaur Agency on Monday after remaining closed for around two months long winter vacation. However, government schools and colleges will resume classes on March 1.

The decision to reopen privately-owned educational institutions was made during a meeting of the All Bajaur Private Schools Association here on Sunday, a participant told Dawn.

He said though the government schools and colleges would remain closed until February 28 on the directives of local education department, private educational institutions had been reopened in the larger interest of their students.

“The reopening of schools and college will help students ensure early completion of their course adversely affected by the prolonged winter vacation,” he said.

The education department expressed reservation about the reopening of private schools and colleges on Monday and declared it unlawful.

An official said the department would act against educational institutions violating its winter vacation announcement.

“Owners of private schools could face legal action for resuming classes without our due permission as we’d formally told all educational institutions across the agency, both government and private, to remain campuses closed until Feb 28 on account of winter vacation,” he said.

The winter vacation was extended for security reasons.

ONE KILLED: A man was killed and two, including a paramilitary trooper, suffered injuries after two rival groups traded fire in Pashat area of Salarzai tehsil in Bajaur Agency on Sunday evening.

An official of the local administration said Haji Gul Khan had a monetary dispute with rival Mohammad Hussain and fired gunshots on each other after having heated exchanges.

He said the firing left Haji Gul Khan dead and Mohammad Hussain and levies force solider Fazal Rahim critically injured.

The official said local people and Bajaur levies personnel showed up after the incident and shifted the injured and the body to the Agency Headquarters Hospital in Khar for treatment. A source in the hospital said the condition of both the injured was critical. Later, the administration arrested six members of the two groups and shifted them to Khar prison for interrogation.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play