ISLAMABAD, Aug 17: A Christian missionary school where six local people were killed in a suspected militant attack early this month will close for at least a year, an official at the school said on Saturday.

Barry Lock, boarding manager at the Murree Christian School, said some families with children at the Protestant institution had already decided to leave Pakistan for security reasons.

“The school board has decided to go into mothballs for a year and a decision will be made on May 3 regarding reopening, possibly next August,” Mr Lock told Reuters by telephone.

“The school is looking at relocating for a year for high school students in a country in the region in which they feel comfortable,” he added.

Mr Lock said the school’s 146 students from various countries, including the United States, Britain, Canada, Germany and New Zealand, would benefit from studying together in the next academic year.

“There are two reasons (for considering relocation) — to help them get through exams, and the advice is that after this attack and the trauma it would be very valuable if older kids could be together for the coming year.”—Reuters