UPPER DIR, June 11: The building of a girls’ high school in the Wari area was burnt by some people on Wednesday morning –the second such incident in less than a week.

Local people said the accused had sprinkled petrol inside two blocks of the school at 2:45am and set it on fire, destroying six rooms of the building.

The school watchman fired in the air to alert area people, who rushed to the school in panic and started efforts to put out the blaze.

The incident disrupted the school examinations as students could not take their papers on Wednesday.

The watchman in an FIR lodged with the Wari police said electricity supply was suspended and he was sleeping when the building was set on fire. He added that as he saw the flames, he started firing in the air to alert area people.

Meanwhile, Upper Dir Nazim Sahibzada Tariqullah condemned the recent attacks on girls’ schools and said: “Burning and destroying government buildings will not serve Islam or the region.”

Speaking at a gathering of clerks, he resolved to stop the attacks. “I cannot remain a silent spectator in this situation when peace of my district is being destroyed. I don’t want to see my district turned into Swat. I will fight even if I faced a threat to my life,” he said.
Source: Dawn
Date:6/12/2008