LAKKI MARWAT: A girls’ primary school in Lakki Marwat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was partially damaged late Saturday night after an improvised explosive device (IED) went off inside the premises, police confirmed on Sunday. No casualties were reported.
District Police Officer (DPO) Nazeer Khan told a local media outlet that the blast occurred at the school in Wanda Zahid Gul village, within the jurisdiction of Daddiwala Police Station. He said the explosion, triggered by an IED, caused damage to the school building but fortunately did not result in any loss of life.
“Two IEDs had been planted in the school. One went off, while the second was found during a search of the site and successfully defused by the bomb disposal squad,” the DPO added. A heavy police contingent was deployed in the area soon after the incident, while a search operation was launched to trace those responsible.
The attack has reignited concerns over the security of educational institutions in the district, which has long been a hotspot for militant activity. Lakki Marwat witnessed sustained violence during the early 2000s, and although security operations temporarily restored calm, recent months have seen a resurgence of militant incidents.
Earlier this month, terrorists carried out multiple attacks across the district, killing three soldiers and a woman and injuring three others, including two soldiers. On August 13, militants also blew up a gas pipeline in Lakki Marwat, disrupting supply to Punjab for several days.
Residents fear that the latest incident targeting a girls’ school signals a troubling escalation in militant tactics, recalling the Taliban’s earlier campaigns against female education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal belt. Authorities have yet to issue a statement on whether the incident is linked to the renewed militant presence in the region.
