The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly was told on Monday that in handling the matter of reconstruction of destroyed schools due to terrorist acts and floods issue with donors, the provincial government is utilising its own limited resources.
This was disclosed by the Provincial Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education, Sardar Hussein Babak while responding to the points of order of Saqibullah Khan Chamkani (ANP), Mufti Janan, (JUI-F), Mohammad Ali Khan (PPP-Sherpao) and Anwar Khan of PPP regarding destruction of schools through planting of explosives in the province.
Babak said provincial government fully agrees with the contentions of the legislators. However, he also called for offering resistance against the elements behind the terrorist acts. "The activities of such elements could be resisted through exhibiting of unity amongst the political forces and general public," he added.
He said they are in contact with the international community besides making efforts within their own available resources to rebuild schools. He added that a case study, in this regard, has been prepared, which would be presented before the European Union and their member states included Norway and Netherlands.
The minister informed that an amount of more than Rs 10 billion is required for the reconstruction of the education facilities destroyed by the militants in Malakand Division and recent super floods in the province. The students of the destroyed schools, he added, shifted to the nearest schools, renting private buildings.
In his remarks, Provincial Minister for Information, Mian Iftikhar Hussein, who is also the official spokesman of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government, urged the department of education for making immediate arrangements for restoration of destroyed educational facilities to save the precious time of children from wastage.
Earlier, Saqibullah Khan Chamkani informed that seven schools in his constituency were blasted, adding that such incidents are occurring on daily bases in the suburban areas of the metropolis. He demanded strict action against the elements in Pakai, Sulemankhel, Mashogagar and Sheikhaan localities of Peshawar. He said that the blown up schools are situated five to 10 kilometres inside the police-controlled areas.
Mufti Janan, a JUI-F legislator from district Hangu said two schools in his constituency were blown up two years ago. One school, he added, has been shifted to one room school while the primary school is closed for two years. On the occasion, Mohammad Ali Khan said three primary, one middle and two schools were destroyed in Shabqadar, but no measures were taken for provision of alternative buildings for the students. Two of the destroyed schools were girls', he added and called for making alternate arrangements of buildings on emergency basis.