One of the schools that was burnt. (pic via Twitter)In what seems to be an act of religious extremism, 12 girls’ schools were burnt down overnight in coordinated attacks in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan district, NDTV has reported.
The schools were located in Chilas town in the Diamer region by militants who fled after the attack. Bombs were also reportedly set off in two schools.
Several attacks on girls’ schools have been reported in Pakistan where religious fundamentalism has taken root in the civil society.
The attack comes just days after Pakistan voted for cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan to power whose party campaigned on the slogan ‘Naya Pakistan’.
Although a little short of majority in the Pakistani assembly, Imran Khan has reportedly garnered the support of several parties and will be taking oath as Pakistan’s next Prime Minister.
Girl child education faces stiff opposition from fundamentalist elements in Pakistani society where religious fundamentalism is slowly gaining ground. Nobel laureate, Pakistan’s Malala Yousafzai had been shot by Talibani terrorists on her way back after an exam for defying their directives and attending school. She, however, survived the attack and has become a champion of girls’ education in Pakistan.
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.