A private girls’ school called Afia Islamic Girls Public School was blown up by unidentified militants in Tehsil Shewa of North Waziristan district on Wednesday night, reports Dawn.
The police said the militants first assaulted the school watchman and later blew up two rooms of the school. There was, however, no loss of life in the explosion.
Locals say that it was the only private girls’ school in the area and its administration had received multiple threat letters in the past.
Journalist Iftikhar Firdous wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that he was contacted by the owner of the school and was told how the school was formed after going against the tide and now it is destroyed. Firdous wrote, “He was emotional so I asked him to share what he felt in his own words.”
As government schools are “non-functional”, private schools are playing their part in promoting education. “In North Waziristan, the private sector plays an important role in promoting boys’ education, but there was no private girls’ school present in the area”.
The owner deliberated with the elders of the region because he was determined to promote girls’ education. “For the construction of a private school for girls in Tehsil Shewa, we contacted different people, but no one was ready to build a school for girls because they said that the Taliban would destroy it since they are against female education, and we are not ready to invest in girls’ education in our area.”
The owner convinced his friend, working as a laborer in the UAE, to invest Rs 10 lacs into the construction of a girls’ school in Tehsil Shewa, North Waziristan, as it would help promote girls’ education in the area. “He readily agreed with our advice and was ready to invest money in the girls’ school.” The owner related that the funds were not enough and so it took three years for completion. It was inaugurated on May 19, 2023. “In less than one year, 100 girls got admission to Afia School, and with every passing day, the strength of the school increased,” he told Firdous in an emotional tone.
On May 9, 2024, at midnight 1 PM, unknown persons destroyed the school with a bomb, while also breaking chairs and whiteboards.
Firdous shared how he ended the note determined to promote the cause he believes in.“In this way, they stopped our girls from education, but we will continue our struggle for the promotion of girls’ education until death”.
