PESHAWAR, Feb 22: Branches of two private English-medium schools in the city have been closed for two days after police advised their management to make their own security arrangements.

Educational institutions in the city are in the grip of rumours that private schools may be targeted by terrorists. The private schools already observe Saturday and Sunday as closed holidays.

Four branches of the Beaconhouse on University Road in Hayatabad Township and on Bara road and a branch of Bloomfield School in the University Town were closed by their respective administrations for two days, sources said.

Chief Capital Police Officer Abdul Majid Marwat told Dawn that there was no security threat. “The police have advised the private schools to make their own security arrangements in the aftermath of terrorist activities in the province,” he added.

Shafiullah Khan, secretary, schools and literacy, NWFP, said: “All these are rumours and all government schools are open,” Mr Khan added.

“My teacher has asked me not to come to school as there is a threat of bomb blast,” said a six-year-old pupil of the Peshawar Model School, which remained open but students are afraid of attending their class because of threat.

Some parents claimed that these schools were charging high fees and instead of providing appropriate security to their children they had acted cowardly and closed down schools. Branches of Army Public and Pakistan Air Force schools, however, remained open.

The principal of the PAF School (junior branch) denied that the school administration had received any new security directives.

SECURITY PLAN: A security plan for improving security and traffic system of government offices, buildings and other sensitive places will immediately be enacted in the province, adds APP.