MANSEHRA: Local body members and traders on Saturday complained that the government higher secondary school for girls in Lassan Nawab area was in bad shape after the recent monsoon downpour.

They feared that if authorities didn’t carry out reconstruction and repairs to the building, it would collapse.

Lassan Nawab neighbourhood council chairman Malik Mohammad Ashraf told reporters that heavy rains in August damaged the school building and caused dangerous cracks in it.

“The delay in repairs and reconstruction threatens lives and therefore, authorities should step in for that work without delay,” he said.

Accompanied by traders and people from other walks of life, Mr Ashraf said over 700 girls were enrolled in the school, the only for girls in the area.

Residents threaten street protests over delay in reconstruction

He said after the resumption of classes early this month after summer break, students of three or four classes shared a room.

“Students suffer due to crowded classrooms,” he said.

Trader leader Malik Sher Gang said students had to use the damaged portion of the school to reach their classrooms and therefore, they’re vulnerable to the building collapse.

“We approached high-ups of the education department and sought their immediate intervention for repairs and reconstruction, but to no avail,” he said.

Lassan Nawab neighbourhood council member Ali Zaman Tanoli said the government wanted to enrol more and more girls in schools but unfortunately, it wasn’t repairing or rebuilding the schools in bad shape.

“Most people are unwilling to send their daughters to school due to the dilapidated building causing learning loss to students,” he said.

Resident Rauful Amin warned if authorities delayed school’s reconstruction and repairs any further, the people would take to the streets and block the main artery.

MANSEHRA: Hazara Range deputy inspector general of policeMohammad Ijaz Khan on Saturday said the security of Chinese nations working on the Suki Kanari hydropower project had been enhanced.

“This [Suki Kanari] is the first hydropower project being executed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor initiative. We [police] are taking all possible measures for your foolproof security,” Mr Khan told Chinese engineers and workers during a visit to their camp in Balakot tehsil.

Accompanied by district police officer Zahoor Babar Afridi, the DIG went to different sections of the project site and met Chinese workers.

Representatives of the Chinese firm briefed him about the project and progress on it.

They said the project’s completion would help address the country’s electricity shortfall.

The DIG appreciated their contribution to Pakistan’s development and said that the local authorities would leave no stone unturned for their protection in the country.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2023