CJP takes notice of attack on girls schools in Gilgit-Baltistan

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar took notice on Saturday of the attack on at least 12 girls’ schools in Chilas on Thursday night.

Justice Nisar further ordered the government, the secretary Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) to submit a report regarding the incident within the next 48 hours

Furthermore, the CJP also asked the secretary interior to submit a report.

Earlier, the caretaker prime minister Justice (retd) Nasir-ul-Mulk has ordered relevant authorities to submit a report on the attack on girls’ schools in Chilas.

Strongly condemning the attack, PM Mulk said that those involved in the incident will be held accountable.

Some 12 girls’ schools were attacked in Chilas, about 130 kilometres from Gilgit on Thursday night, police sources said, adding that the suspects were unidentified men who targetted educational institutes across Diamer district and damaged school property.

The attackers also torched some items in the schools, sources informed, adding that explosions were also set off in two schools.

Police subsequently started a search operation in the area to arrest those responsible.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan also took to social media to condemn the attack.

“Shocking and condemnable torching of schools in Gilgit-Baltistan, more than half of them girls’ schools. This is unacceptable and we will ensure security for schools as we are committed to focusing on education, especially girls’ education which is integral to Naya Pakistan,” he tweeted.

Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai also condemned the attack, stressing that "every girl and boy has the right to learn”.

"The extremists have shown what frightens them most – a girl with a book,” wrote Yousafzai, who, herself, was shot alongside two of her classmates by the Taliban back in October 2012 while on their way back from school in Swat.