12 schools burnt down overnight in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer district

by Tauqeer Abbas
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At least 12 schools were burnt down in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer district late on Thursday night, Dawn reported, citing police and local residents.

Superintendent Police (SP) Diamer Roy Ajmal told Dawn that police had so far received information that 12 schools had been burnt down overnight. He said that in some cases, books had also been thrown outside the schools and set on fire.

Police teams have been dispatched to investigate the reports, the SP said, adding that no one has claimed responsibility for the incidents as yet.

The schools, which are spread across Diamer, were identified as:

Girls Primary School located in Ronay, Chilas
Girls School Takya
Social Action Programme (SAP) Primary School in Hudur area
Army Public School, Darel Tehsil
Primary School in Tabor village of Darel Valley,
SAP Primary School in Tabor, Darel
APS in Tangir Valley (adjacent to Diamer, sharing borders with Kohistan district of KP)
Girls Primary School Sheegay Manikal, Darel Valley
Girls Primary School Galee Bala, Tangir Valley
Primary School Galee Bala, Tangir Valley
Girls Primary School Khanbary
Girls Primary School Gyal Village

Local residents and journalists said they had heard explosions in GPS Ronay and Girls School Takya, but police did not mention receiving reports about blasts.

Most of the schools targeted appear to be girls’ schools. The schools were built to promote education in Diamer district, which has the lowest literacy rates for boys and girls in GB.

The Diamer Youth Movement has announced a protest against the targeting of education institutions in the district.

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