CHARSADDA, April 14: Suspected militants blew up Khobai Educational Academy, a private high school, in Khobai area of Shabqadar tehsil on Thursday morning. The militants planted improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at the academy, which went off one after another in quick succession, completely destroying the school building. A mosque and several houses in the vicinity were also partially damaged in the string of blasts, sound of which was heard far and wide.

People in the nearby localities came out of their houses in panic to know about the location of the blast. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Locals said that about 600 students were enrolled at the school. They said that 16 schools, including three private, had been destroyed by militants so far in Shabqadar.

PROTEST WARNED: Hundreds of qualified primary teaching certificate (PTC) candidates have threatened to start a protest campaign from April 18 if the education department does not issue notification of their appointment till April 15.

They said in a press release on Thursday that the authorities concerned had been holding back the notification of appointment of successful candidates for the PTC teacher posts for the last 10 months. They said that all the candidates belonged to poor families and the delay in issuing notice of their appointment was injustice with their families.

They also reminded the EDO Charsadda of his promise to issue result of the successful candidates till April 15.