Matric exams delayed amid security concerns - New dates revealed?
The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Bannu announced the decision on November 9 following instructions from the deputy commissioner.
The board said a new examination schedule would be announced later, while exams at Cadet College Razmak and centres in Bakakhel tehsil would continue as planned.
This is the second time the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) Second Annual Examinations have been delayed in North Waziristan.
The exams were originally scheduled to begin on October 12 but were postponed last month in North Waziristan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat.
Curfew imposed in Mir Ali and nearby areas
Meanwhile, the district administration has imposed a curfew in areas stretching from Bobali and Mir Ali to Isha.
Officials said the restrictions would remain in place until the ongoing security operation in the affected areas is completed.
The Bannu-Miranshah Road will also remain closed to traffic during the curfew.
Area representative and Development Council member Malik Rohullah Khan said the General Officer Commanding North had issued the instructions for imposing the curfew.
He added that, following his request, residents had been allowed to visit markets in Miranshah and Datta Khel to purchase essential daily-use items.
Residents who need to travel outside North Waziristan can use the Miranshah, Isha and Razmak routes, he said.
Security operation targets terrorist hideouts
North Waziristan and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have faced security challenges for several years.
On Monday, security forces carried out an intelligence-based operation in Muzak village, located on the southern outskirts of Mir Ali, and destroyed two terrorist hideouts.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security personnel recovered a large quantity of prepared improvised explosive devices, materials used to make explosives, weapons and ammunition.
The military’s media wing said the hideouts had been established inside mosques.
Earlier, on October 8, security forces killed nine terrorists during another intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan, according to state media reports.
Terrorist attacks decline in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
A report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) shows that terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa declined in October compared with September.
The province recorded 40 attacks in October, down from 58 in September, marking a 31 per cent decrease.
Deaths caused by these attacks also dropped from 90 to 38, while the number of injured people fell from 165 to 19.
The report showed that the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) also experienced a decline in terrorist activity.
The region recorded 30 attacks in October compared with 34 in September, representing a 12 per cent reduction.
The postponement of matric exams shows how security problems can affect students and their education.
Although terrorist attacks declined in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during October, security operations and restrictions continue in parts of North Waziristan.
Students will now have to wait for a new examination schedule, while residents must follow the curfew and travel instructions until the operation is completed.
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