ISLAMABAD: Unidentified assailants set fire to the Brogi Girls School in the Darel area of Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and abducted the security guard.
The police have launched an investigation to find the perpetrators.
According to Chief Secretary Gilgit Baltistan Mohyuddin Wani, suspected arsonists set fire to the school building in the early hours of Tuesday before kidnapping the security guard.
This was not the first time the girls’ schools have been set on fire for many times in the area by similar miscreants. In August 2018, unidentified attackers burnt down at least 12 schools in GB’s Diamer area, spreading fear among people, according to villagers and authorities.
Diamer Superintendent Police (SP), Roy Ajmal, had revealed that at least half of the burnt schools were girls-only schools. He said that in some cases, books had also been thrown outside the schools and set alight, but fortunately, no student was harmed as the incidents took place at night when the schools were closed.
The schools were constructed to encourage education in the Diamer region, where the literacy rate is the lowest for both boys and girls in GB.
Reports gathered from multiple sources suggest the incident happened on Monday night when Brogi Girls School was set on fire by unknown miscreants.
Responding to the media queries, the Chief Secretary of Gilgit Baltistan Mohyuddin Wani said a full-fledged inquiry would be conducted and the miscreants would be brought to Justice. He said it was the right of every girl to get education, and the affected school would be restored within a week.
The Chief Secretary also announced that he would send a team of officers and engineers to visit the affected school and suggest ways and means for its quick restoration.
Hours later, a case was registered against unknown miscreants for burning down the school.
Following the incident, students staged protest against burning of school. Thousands of students came out as a protest against the burning of school by terrorists and miscreants in Darial, district Diamer.
In this connection, Chief Secretary Gilgit Baltistan Muhiudeen Wani said that “We will not let them down and will hunt the miscreants and bring them to justice”.
He said that we promise that we will restore and rebuild the school in next few days and this school will be the best school as far as infrastructure is concerned, adding that this school will also have additional facilities of IT lab, sports and library.
“Now the Deputy Commissioner, Commissioner, DIG an SSP diamer and Chillas will be responsible for the protection of educational institutions of girls, CS GB added. He said that there is no room for intolerant behavior towards girls education.
“I am really happy to see that daughters of Gilgit Baltistan have come out in thousands of number to protest against the burning of school by terrorists and miscreants in Darial, district Diamer.
According to him, the Deputy Commissioner, Commissioner, DIG and SSP Diamer and Chillas will be responsible for the protection of educational institutions for girls. No room for intolerant behavior towards girls’ education.
