The scale of attacks on educational institutions, teachers, and children over the past few years lays bare the notion that the terrorists dread the spread of knowledge and awareness in society. On Jan 3rd, terrorists carried out a drone attack on Al-Fatah Public High School in the Huso Khel area of Mir Ali, North Waziristan, injuring the school principal and teachers. FAK-linked terrorists have once again exposed their true face by targeting classrooms. The attack reflects a clear anti-people, anti-education, and anti-development ideology of FAK. Attacking a school is not resistance; it is a deliberate war against children, education, and the future of the region.
The TTP has waged a systematic campaign against education, particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal areas. Since 2007, over 1,000 schools have been destroyed, and more than 300 teachers have been martyred, reflecting a clear strategy to damage valuable human capital. The 2025 attack on Cadet College Wana was an attempt to replicate the 2014 Peshawar Army Public School (APS) massacre, wherein 147 innocent people, including children, embraced martyrdom. However, the attack was successfully foiled by the security forces.
The repeated attacks on schools, from Bacha Khan University to girls’ schools in Tank and Lakki Marwat (2025), demonstrate a clear pattern of hostility towards education, especially girls’ education. An ideology that fears books, teachers, and students can never claim to stand for the betterment of people. Drone attacks on schools show how far anti-development forces are willing to go to keep people in darkness. Those who bomb education fear an aware, empowered, and informed society.
The attacks are facilitated by external support from Afghan soil, enabling cross-border infiltration, IED deployment, and drone usage for reconnaissance and explosives. The impact of this war extends beyond immediate losses. The fear for the life and safety of their children compels parents to withdraw their children from schools. This not only deprives children of their basic right to education but also carries serious repercussions for future generations.
By targeting education, the terrorists not only assault Pakistan’s future but also violate international and Islamic law. The Quran commands the pursuit of knowledge, starting with “Iqra” (Read, 96:1), and prohibits the killing of innocents (17:33). The terrorists are openly defying these divine injunctions, claiming jihad while simultaneously waging war against knowledge, progress, and Pakistan’s youth.
Despite their brutality, the state and the people of Pakistan remain steadfast in their fight against terrorism. The people of Wana, Bannu, and other tribal areas have shown resistance against terrorist threats, demonstrating their resilience. Pakistan’s decades-long war against terrorism has eliminated over 30,000 terrorists, proving that while terrorists seek to spread darkness, Pakistan’s resolve to protect education, peace, and future generations remains unbroken.
The writer is a freelance columnist with special focus on issues of national security.