Schoolteacher martyred in Bajaur IED blast

KHAR: A schoolteacher was martyred in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Badan village in Mamond tehsil in Bajaur tribal district on Wednesday.

Mufti Shafiullah Jan, a teacher at the Government High School, Badan, sustained serious injuries when an IED planted at the roadside exploded. He was going to school for duty when the blast triggered.

The Medical team of Rescue 1122 rushed to the blast site and shifted the injured teacher to the District Headquarters Hospital, Khar, in a serious condition. However, he later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

The martyred teacher was associated with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl. Soon after the explosion, a large number of JUIF workers and activists rushed to the hospital and staged a protest rally against the subversive act.

They urged the police and law enforcing agencies to provide foolproof security to the law-abiding citizens. Later, the JUIF workers shifted the body to his native village in a procession.

Talking to reporters, District Police Officer Abdul Samad said that the police had launched a search operation soon after the incident to arrest the perpetrators. He said that the accused would be arrested soon.

Meanwhile, office-bearers of the All Teachers Association (ATA), Bajaur chapter, have asked the government and law-enforcing agencies to provide security to the teachers or else they would be compelled to shut schools and launch a protest movement.

Speaking at a press conference, ATA president Amanullah, general secretary Waheeb Jan and others condemned the IED attack on Mufti Shafiullah Jan and demanded the immediate arrest of the perpetrators.

They said that Mufti Shafiullah Jan was the fifth teacher, who was martyred in subversive activity. The teachers’ leaders threatened to take to the roads along with students if the government failed to provide security to their colleagues.