DIR: Militants having affiliation with the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) blew up a girls’ high school in Dir Upper district late Friday night.

Claiming responsibility for the attack, the TTP in a letter left at the site of the blast said the students and teachers of the school were warned to wear veils, while coming to school, but the warning was ignored, which forced them to take action.

Locals said more than 500 female students were studying at the school one of four high schools in the district and the students could not attend the school on Saturday after the incident.

Elders of the area, however, vowed to resume classes in the destroyed school to send a strong message that they would continue to educate their daughters.

The reason for bombing the school is strange as the women of the area were already observing strict ‘pardah’ in line with Islamic teachings and local tradition.

It was the second girls’ high school that was destroyed by the militants, who still remain to be unknown, as a high school had been burnt in Wari.

They had also blown up a girls’ middle school in Bibyawar in early June at a time when annual examinations were being held in the school.

The guard of the school said at the time of the blast, he was sleeping, a statement which seemed untrue as he remained unhurt.

He said two bomb blasts took place in the school destroying the eight-room building. The blasts, occurred at 1am, panicked the people of the area.
Source: The News
Date:9/14/2008