KOHAT, June 25: The watchman of a government primary school that was blown up here last week has confessed that he carried out the blasts in the building on the orders of militants, according to police investigators.

“It is a unique case. In all other cases of terrorism, the government servants haven’t cooperated with militants to such extent to blow up the building that is guarded by them,” an investigator told Dawn on condition of anonymity.

He said that so far militants had targeted 36 government buildings including schools, hospitals and checkposts in the district.

The building of government primary school for girls in Ghulam Banda area was destroyed in two bomb blasts on June 22.

Police arrested the watchman, who remained unhurt despite the fact that he was present in the building at the time of blasts, for interrogation.

The investigators said that the watchman, Niaz Mohammad, could not satisfy them. They raided his house in Ghulam Banda and recovered more than three kilograms of explosives from there. His son was also taken into custody for questioning.

“It is also possible that the watchman has been given money and training in tribal area for carrying out the bomb blasts. But it is yet to be confirmed whether he did it under pressure or at will,” an investigator said.He said that the intelligence agencies were also investigating the case but they had not reached any conclusion yet so that FIR could be registered against the watchman and his son.

The official said that the watchman and his son would be formally booked after completion of the investigation. But he would certainly land in the prison under the Explosives Act for recovery of explosives from his home, he added.

Opinion

Editorial

Plugging the gap
06 May, 2024

Plugging the gap

IN Pakistan, bias begins at birth for the girl child as discriminatory norms, orthodox attitudes and poverty impede...
Terrains of dread
Updated 06 May, 2024

Terrains of dread

Restored faith in the police is unachievable without political commitment and interprovincial support.
Appointment rules
Updated 06 May, 2024

Appointment rules

If the judiciary had the power to self-regulate, it ought to have exercised it instead of involving the legislature.
Hasty transition
Updated 05 May, 2024

Hasty transition

Ostensibly, the aim is to exert greater control over social media and to gain more power to crack down on activists, dissidents and journalists.
One small step…
05 May, 2024

One small step…

THERE is some good news for the nation from the heavens above. On Friday, Pakistan managed to dispatch a lunar...
Not out of the woods
05 May, 2024

Not out of the woods

PAKISTAN’S economic vitals might be showing some signs of improvement, but the country is not yet out of danger....