CHITRAL - Some unidentified miscreants dynamited a boys primary school in a border village, Arandu, here but no loss of life reported as the school was closed due to Sunday, Station House Officer (SHO) informed.
Boys primary school in village Arandu bordering Afghanistan was blown up when the dynamites planted around the boundary wall were detonated by the miscreants.
Two rooms of the schools were destroyed while the main building received partial damage. It was the only school in Chitral district’s Arandu village.
Sub Division police officer Iqbal Karim rushed to the site and started investigation into the matter.
The SHO said that 80 to 90 students were studying in the school. “Since the school was closed today being Sunday therefore no loss of life reported.” He said the bombs were locally made.
He said the TTP and Jamatul Ahrar accepted responsibility for bombing the school. The miscreants from across the border targeted this area many a time in the past, he added.
According to security officials, the said school situated at Dogam area, less than a kilometre distance from Afghan border province of Kunar.
This is the second bombing of the school in this area by the miscreants as in the previous instance a girls primary school in Aasun village was blown up.
The Arandu police have registered the case. The movement of the people in the village has been restricted and no outsider is allowed to enter the area.
Last month, twelve schools – eight girls and four boys – were burnt down in various parts of Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer district.
Though no one had claimed responsibility for the ghastly attacks, but attackers are believed to be militants opposed to girls’ education.
“The miscreants tried to damage around 12 schools in Diamir district. They tried to set fire to some of them and broke windows and doors of some others,” regional home secretary Jawad Akram had said.
According to a report, about 1,500 schools have been destroyed in Pakistan’s tribal belt in last 10 years.
Our staff reporter/Agencies
