PESHAWAR: The Agricultural Training Institute Peshawar, which came under militants attack on December 1, is set to resume academic activities on Tuesday without addressing its major security concerns.

The institute, which was established in 1957, has been upgraded and now it is called Agriculture Services Academy. Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has recently approved the upgradation plan and the academy would now teach three years diploma programme in agriculture, veterinary sciences, farmers’ training and in-service training for staff.

A letter issued from the principal’s office stated: “The academy, previously called ATI, will resume its academic session from Feb 6 after long vacation due to the unfortunate incident.”

Eight students and one security guard were killed while 37 others received injuries when four attackers covered themselves in burqas stormed the academy. Four attackers were killed in the encounter with the law enforcers.

Home dept declines to issue licences to the institute for keeping AK-47 rifles

Proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan had claimed responsibility for the attack. TTP had also claimed that safe house of an intelligence agency was attacked inside the academy that was denied.

Counter-Terrorism Department recently claimed to have arrested a person, who allegedly facilitated the attackers.

Officials said that six critically injured students had also recovered and they were able to join the academy. The management has planned to arrange Quran Khwani for the martyred students and employee on Tuesday morning before going into academic activities.

They said that health department had been requested to arrange sessions of trauma-focused psychotherapy for the students. “We believe that the students, who had passed through this horror, required psychotherapy classes for few days,” said an official.

According to reports, the academy administration had carried out minor repair work in the classrooms and dormitories. The management utilised funds that meant for the students’ welfare to carry out minor repair work. Main computer laboratory and other equipment were also damaged in the attack.

Sources said that engineers of the communication and works department had examined the building and recommended to raise the outer walls around the academy up to 13 feet and fixing of barb wire atop. A portion of the boundary wall has been damaged and it needs immediate reconstruction.

In addition, the police department provided security guidelines to the administration that included deployment of trained and well-equipped guards, construction of watch towers, installation of Close Circuit TV cameras and provision of 10 AK-47 assault rifles to the guards.

“Approximate cost is Rs50 million and work will start after designing of PC-1,” said another official, adding that the government had yet to release funds to undertake essential work to upgrade security of the academy that housed 45 family quarters, around 400 students and teaching staff.

He said that according to the police recommendations, the academy needed 18 trained guards and the administration had hired only four retired personnel so far. The official said that provincial home department had declined to provide licences for retaining AK-47 rifles because of ban by the interior ministry.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2018