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MIRAMSHAH: Militancy has again reared its ugly head in North Waziristan Agency as two schools for girls there have been hit by bomb explosions and pamphlets warning locals not to send grown-up girls to educational institutions have been distributed widely.
Residents said the boundary wall of a middle school for girls, situated in the Hasokhel area of Mirali tehsil, was blown up on Wednesday night. Another middle school for girls was bombed in the same tehsil on Monday night, they said. The blast partially damaged the school’s main building.
When contacted, however, local administration officials expressed ignorance about the bombing of two schools.
Meanwhile, a pamphlet distributed purportedly by a militant group called Ittehadul Mujahideen North Waziristan warned residents against sending grown-up girls to schools. “We will not tolerate to see grown-up girls going to schools in various areas,” it said. Middle schools in different parts of the tribal agency received copies of the pamphlet on Tuesday. The tribal elders who have been supporting the authorities also received pamphlets, which asked them not to support government policies.
The bombing of schools and distribution of controversial pamphlets have put a question mark over the government’s claims that the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), particularly the North Waziristan Agency, has been cleared of militants.
Incidents of targeted killing and bomb blasts have been reported frequently from the area. Tensions have spiked at a time when most of the internally displaced persons have returned to their homes and the government has started rebuilding schools there.
Also, the directorate of education for Fata and the army have opened a network of cadet colleges and army public schools in different parts of North Waziristan.
Militants used to frequently bomb educational institutions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata before the launch of military operation Zarb-i-Azb in North Waziristan Agency in June 2014. Militancy badly affected enrolment in schools and colleges, particularly those of girls, in Fata.
About 1,500 schools have been destroyed in the tribal belt during the last 10 years. Before Zarb-i-Azb only one girls’ school was operational in Miramshah, which was situated inside a high-security zone.
Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2018
Comments (17) Closed
Is that the reason why Manzoor Pashteen wanted Military post to be removed so that his allies can carry out attacks in FATA at will
Terrorism have returned back to FATA right after removal of army posts
A girl child is educated, nation is educated.
So they want army checkposts to be removed but than will blame government for failing to protect them that’s just hypocrisy
The CIA strikes again.
Any response from PTM?
What does Manzoor Pashteen has to say ?
Should find out who made the pamphlets and bring them forward. Looks the pamphlet makers and those not wanting schools need to be bombed out of this world.
It should be a wake up call for those claiming that law and order has been restored in FATA.
@BhaRAT for your information no checkpost has been removed in North Waziristan...this all happened in their presence.
thats why US is supporting TTP as US blocks UN sanctions on Khurasani
It is funny that people here are saying on PTMs request check posts are removed and this happened. I guess only few check posts are removed or handed over to other LEAs but what about high claims of Army that clean sweep of terrorists in the region. Does Army want check-posts forever?
Where is PTM and its supporters?
There is possibilty that those who dont want FATA merger with KPK are behind these activities.
Arrest Manzoor pashteen and produce him in court
System failure will automatically be blamed on one person “Manzoor pashteen”
Why on earth are these people trying to deprive these girls education. Both genders have the right to a basic education. There are so many young men hanging about there without a basic education who in turn will get married to these girls. What about their numerous Children how are they going to afford the basic foods and clean beds for them to rest on? It is utter cruelty to leave children undernourished not to mention all other necessary medical attention which nobody can escape from. These people are dragging their country down and holding progress back from their own people.