SWABI: A youth hailing from Kotha village drowned in the Indus River here on Monday.

The incident occurred in Pontya region, and a rescue team was trying to fish out the body of the 26-year-old Salman Khan, said Rescue 1122 district emergency officer Rafiullah Marwat.

He said the deceased was bathing in the river to beat the heat, but drowned when he moved into the deep water.

LOW ATTENDANCE: Students’ attendance in classes was low on the first day of reopening of schools after the summer vacation as the provincial government abruptly changed the vacation schedule, opening educational institutions on Aug 15 instead of previously announced date of Sept 1.

Summer vacation had been extended due to heat wave but change in weather made the education department shorten the vacation by half a month. A majority of students was unaware of the development.

Student Sabir Khan told Dawn that the government had extended the summer break but suddenly withdrew the decision to create confusion among students, so most of them skipped school.

The teachers said they had to combine two or three classes due to low attendance of students.

Principals said low attendance was normal on the first day after the summer vacation.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2022