Pakistan: School blast in North Waziristan destroys building, disrupts education for 600 students

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], December 12 : A devastating explosion late Thursday night destroyed a government primary school in the Mir Ali tehsil of North Waziristan, leaving over 600 children without a place to study.
Unidentified attackers planted explosives at the Government Primary School in the Ayaz Kot area of Khushhali village, reducing much of the structure to ruins and halting educational activities in the locality, as reported by The Express Tribune.
According to The Express Tribune, officials from the district education department stated that the school had been the only operational primary institution in the area, serving as a vital educational centre for hundreds of students.
Following the blast, authorities sealed off the damaged building and began considering alternative arrangements so that classes could resume in temporary spaces.
Local elders and parents expressed shock and anger over what they described as a deliberate attempt to sabotage children's futures. One community elder stated, "This school was the heart of our community and a source of hope for our children. Its destruction feels like an attack on our dreams."
The incident has once again highlighted the government's inability to ensure security for essential public institutions, especially in violence-prone regions like North Waziristan. Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a search operation, but as of yet, no group has claimed responsibility.
The district administration condemned the bombing as an "anti-education act," stating that such attacks derail peace and development efforts in the tribal belt, as cited by The Express Tribune.
Officials also pledged that the culprits would be apprehended and brought to justice soon. Police have gathered evidence from the blast site, and the bomb disposal unit's analysis is awaited. Initial assessments suggest that the device was detonated either remotely or through a timer mechanism, as reported by The Express Tribune.