North Waziristan matric exams postponed as curfew imposed

The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) second annual examinations in North Waziristan have been postponed due to the prevailing security situation, while authorities have imposed a curfew in parts of the district amid an ongoing security operation.

The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Bannu announced the decision in a notification issued on November 9, following instructions from the North Waziristan deputy commissioner.

According to the board, a new examination schedule will be announced later. However, examinations at Cadet College Razmak and centres in Bakakhel tehsil will take place as originally planned.

This is the second postponement of the examinations in North Waziristan. The papers were initially scheduled to begin on October 12 but were delayed last month in North Waziristan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat.

Meanwhile, the district administration has imposed a curfew across areas stretching from Bobali and Mir Ali to Isha. The restrictions will remain in place until the completion of the ongoing security operation.

Authorities have also suspended traffic on the Bannu-Miranshah Road for the duration of the curfew.

Malik Rohullah Khan, an area representative and member of the Development Council, said the general officer commanding north had issued instructions for the restrictions.

He added that, following his request, residents had been allowed to visit markets in Miranshah and Datta Khel to purchase essential commodities. People seeking to travel outside North Waziristan could use the Miranshah, Isha and Razmak routes, he said.

The latest restrictions come amid continued security concerns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in the former tribal districts.

On Monday, security forces carried out an intelligence-based operation in Muzak village, located on the southern outskirts of Mir Ali, and dismantled two suspected terrorist hideouts, according to the military’s media wing.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said troops recovered a large quantity of prepared improvised explosive devices, explosives-making materials, weapons and ammunition from the hideouts, which were located inside mosques.

Earlier, on October 8, security forces had killed nine suspected terrorists during another intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan.

Meanwhile, figures released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies showed a decline in militant violence across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in October.

The Islamabad-based think tank recorded 40 terrorist attacks in the province during the month, compared with 58 in September, marking a 31 per cent decrease. Fatalities also fell from 90 to 38, while the number of injured people dropped from 165 to 19.

The former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), however, recorded a smaller decline, with 30 attacks in October against 34 in September, representing a 12 per cent reduction.