PESHAWAR, Dec 5: Different schools in the suburban areas of the provincial metropolis have received fresh threats from militants, asking the staff and students to avoid these institutions as they are promoting 'infidelity', according to sources.

They said that the threatening pamphlets purportedly issued by a hitherto unknown group 'Jamaatul Tawheed Wal Jihad' were pasted on the walls of some schools.

Senior Superintendent Police Ijaz Khan, when contacted, confirmed that the threats were received by several schools in Gulbarg and Bahana Mari areas.

“We will provide security to these educational institutions to ward off any sabotage act,” he said.

“We inform all the teachers, watchmen, school transporters and particularly students and their parents to avoid these educational institutions, which promote infidelity. It is better to stop here then repenting later. So far the blowing up of schools was a warning, after it everyone would be responsible for themselves,” the pamphlet said.

It added that their jihad would continue against infidels till implementation of the divine law as the present system was against Islam. The Pakistan government committed intolerable atrocities against the Mujahideen, seminaries, mosques and the Holy Quran, it alleged.

“Thousands of innocent children, women and elderly people have been killed in the military operations in Bajawar, Waziristan and Mohmand agencies and Swat,” the pamphlet, carrying the name of Ameer Abu Mansoor Al-basharwi, said.

A resident of Nauthia, an area adjacent to Peshawar Cantonment, said that in their area women teachers of private schools started wearing burqa after receiving the threatening pamphlets. “The fresh threats have spread fear and panic among the teachers, students and their parents,” he said.

Sources said that pamphlets were received by schools in Regi, Gulbarg, Nauthia, Bhana Mari and other areas.

SSP Ijaz Ahmed Khan said that security would be provided to those schools, which received the threatening pamphlets. “It is an old modus operandi of militants just to spread panic among people,” he said.

Regarding security measures adopted by police, he said that police in plain clothes were deputed on the schools.

“I have directed the police officers concerned to visit such schools frequently and keep check on suspected elements,” he said.

He added that the watchmen of the schools were provided guns, asking them to be vigilant and remain on the rooftops of the schools and inform police in case of movements of suspected elements in the areas.

Militants have destroyed more than a dozen schools on the outskirts of Peshawar during the last two months.

Since emergence of militancy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, so far more than 700 schools have been destroyed, depriving many students of their basic right of getting education.