KOHAT, April 24 Security forces permanently based in Darra Adamkhel since February 2008 have asked the government to provide them with alternative buildings for camps so that they can vacate schools and colleges in the area.

The tribal administration has also not rebuilt girls' schools and a college destroyed by militants in the area. The institutions include Akhorwal and Pirwal high schools, a middle school in Germany Kalay, middle school in Noor Ali Kalay, middle school in Sunni Khel and a high school and a girls' college in the Sheraki area.

A military source told Dawn on Friday that the college and school buildings in some sensitive areas like Akhorwal and Shpalkiwal were 70 per cent damaged by militants and were of no use for students. Even then, he said, if the education department thought that the studies of children of such areas were being affected, the government should establish at least three major security camps in Darra Adamkhel.a

The buildings of the Government Degree College and a school in Shpalkiwal have been under the control of the security forces since March 2008 where permanent camps and a hospital have been set up.

The buildings were badly damaged when military conducted an operation for recovery of ammunition trucks stolen by the Taliban in February that year.

The official said the forces would remain and operate in the Frontier Region of Kohat as long as there was a threat to the lives and properties of the people from militants. According to him, the confidence between the army and the tribesmen had improved a lot over the past one year.

The tribesmen, he claimed, were now demanding permanent presence of the security forces in Darra Adamkhel. The army, he said, would make permanent security arrangements like setting up joint FC checkposts before pulling out from the region.

He said the Kohat Friendship Tunnel on the Indus Highway was still not safe during night, but efforts were being made to keep it open for most of the time, especially during rush hours.

The opening timings of the tunnel have been increased twice since February keeping in view the problems faced by people. Now, it remains open from 5am to 9pm.

As the security situation had been gradually improving, the official said, they were considering opening it for traffic from 3am.

He said if the NHA restored the lighting system in the tunnel badly damaged in a blast then it would be much safer for traffic from security point of view.