BUNER: Hundreds of unemployed educated youth demonstrated here on Wednesday against the provincial government’s education policy, under which, they said women teachers would be recruited at primary level, thus depriving them of jobs in the education department.

They demanded of the provincial government to withdraw the new policy forthwith, or they would protest when Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and PTI chief Imran Khan arrive at Swari here on Oct 8 to address a public meeting.

The protesters, carrying placards and banners inscribed with anti-government slogans, also chanted in favour of their demands.

They said instead of providing jobs to them, the government was blocking their entry into the education sector.

They termed the education policy, where co-education is allowed, against the Islamic values and the Pakhtun culture. They warned the government against what they said westernising the education.

They announced to launch a movement against the new education police at the district, divisional and provincial level.

Meanwhile, two students of a private college in Swari were killed while 15 others injured when their school bus rammed into a roadside shop near Tango Chowk, Bajkatta on Wednesday.

According to locals, the bus was taking students to school early in the morning when it skidded off the road and smashed a roadside shop due to over-speeding. The victims were named ninth grader Kalsoom Bibi of Shalbandi village and first year student Robina Bibi of Amnawar village.

Driver Syed Sajjad Ali Shah was arrested by Gagra police.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2017