In a distressing act of violence against educational institutions, unidentified militants demolished a private girls’ school in Tehsil Shewa, North Waziristan district, late Wednesday evening. According to police sources, the assailants tortured the school watchman before detonating explosives that destroyed two rooms of the facility. Remarkably, there were no casualties resulting from the explosion.
This recent attack is not an isolated incident in the region. In May of the previous year, two government schools for girls in Mirali were also targeted and destroyed by militants. These attacks occurred around midnight, affecting approximately 500 students enrolled at the Government Girls Middle School, Noor Jannat, and Government Girls Middle School, Yunus Kot.
Local sources revealed that the school hit on Wednesday was the only private institution for girls in the area, which had been under significant threat, receiving multiple threatening letters prior to the attack. Such incidents highlight the precarious situation for education in regions plagued by militant activity, particularly for girls, who are often disproportionately affected by efforts to undermine educational progress.
The destruction of educational infrastructure not only disrupts the schooling of hundreds of girls but also sends a chilling message against the pursuit of female education in areas controlled or influenced by extremist elements. The local community and authorities are faced with the dual challenge of rebuilding destroyed educational facilities and ensuring the safety of students and educators in an increasingly hostile environment.
