LOWER DIR: A long delay in the reconstruction of eight schools here has left thousands of students without proper learning facilities, complain residents.

Information secretary of the Jamaat-i-Islami Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (north) Engineer Hafiz Yaqoobur Rehman told Dawn in Timergara that authorities razed those schools due to dilapidated condition following the 2015 earthquake but didn’t rebuild them despite repeated public demands and protests.

He said the educational institutions included Government Higher Secondary School Rabat, Government Higher Secondary School Bagh Dushkhel, Government High School Banda Talash, Government Primary School Paito Dara, Government Girls Primary School Gadar, Government Girls Primary School Shah Alam Baba, Government Primary School Kohiray Bala and Government Girls Primary School Mian Kalay.

“The situation is tantamount to playing with the future of thousands of boys and girls,” he said.

Mr Rehman said the projects were properly tendered after the government’s approval.

He criticised the PTI government and elected representatives from Lower Dir over failure to address the issue.

“If the government continues to delay the schools’ reconstruction, we will launch a protest movement,” he warned.

When contacted, deputy district education officer Fayyazuddin confirmed a long delay in the schools’ rebuilding and blamed it on shortage of funds.

He said the elementary and secondary education department remained in contact with the district administration and the communication and works department for reconstruction, but to no avail.

“Partial construction work has been carried out in some schools but the contractors have not received payments for it. In the meantime, the department made temporary arrangements, including a second shift of classes at Government Higher Secondary School Rabat to accommodate a large number of students, while some classes of Government High School Banda Talash were shifted to a nearby primary school,” he said.

A senior teacher at GHS Banda Talash told Dawn that several classes had been accommodated in tents but it would be difficult for students to learn there in the upcoming winter season.

Local elders and parents urged authorities to ensure the immediate release of funds for the schools’ reconstruction before the onset of winter.

BODY FOUND: A four-year-old minor girl who went missing three days ago was found dead in a pond near her house in Lal Qila area here.

Police said the body, which had no signs of torture or abuse, was shifted to the Lal Qila Hospital for postmortem.

Also, a man reportedly killed his son over a domestic dispute in the Talash area here on Tuesday night.

Police said Gul Rasool, a resident of Samarbagh, who currently lived in Bandagai Kandao area, allegedly opened fire on his son, Mohammad Irshad, in his house after Isha prayers, killing him on the spot.

ASHO Fahim Khan along with a police contingent reached the house and shifted the body to the THQ hospital Talash for postmortem.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2025