Article from today's Gulf Daily News
 http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Articles.asp?Article=74654&Sn=WORL


'Girls' Schools in Pakistan Blasted'

ISLAMABAD: Islamic militants dynamited seven primary schools for girls in Pakistan's remote north in the past week in a bid to discourage female education, a government official said yesterday..

The attacks occurred in two districts of the Northern Areas but caused no injuries as they were carried out at night, a senior government official from Gilgit said.

Unknown men planted a low intensity explosive device in the three-room school building which exploded on Wednesday without causing any casualties, local police officer Zaheer Khan said.

"The attack caused minor damage to the building, but no casualties," he said.

It was the fifth incident in less than a week in which schools had been targeted.

He blamed the attacks on local tribesmen encouraged by "religious elements" opposed to education of girls.

"The majority of the people are supportive of girls' education but a tiny minority is opposed," said the official.

"We have about a 100 community schools and the attacks have not stopped girls from going to them."

Police said they had detained 16 people in connection with the attacks, six of which happened in Diamir district and the seventh in Chilas.

Khan said non-governmental organisations had set up several schools in Diamir district which Khan said had upset extremists in the region.

The latest attack, which badly damaged the school, occurred just three days after a group of men, angered over increasing activities of foreign-funded charity organisations, set fire to seven schools for girls, damaging the buildings and furniture.

However, it was not immediately clear whether the same people were behind Wednesday's attack, said Mohammed Jan, a government official in Chilas.