North Waziristan Matric Exams Postponed Again
The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Bannu has postponed the North Waziristan matric exams for a second time, after the district administration cited the security situation in the area.
The board announced the decision in a notification dated November 9, issued on the direction of the North Waziristan deputy commissioner. The Secondary School Certificate Second Annual Examination will not go ahead at most centres in the district, and a revised schedule will be announced later.
Students, parents and schools have been told to wait for fresh instructions from the board. The decision affects candidates who were due to sit papers first scheduled to start on October 12.
North Waziristan matric exams still on at two centres
Exams will go ahead as planned at two centres: Cadet College Razmak in North Waziristan and the centres in Bakakhel Tehsil on Miranshah Road. All other centres in the district stand postponed.
This is the second time these papers have been put off. The board first postponed them in October, along with papers in Bannu and Lakki Marwat, when the law and order situation worsened. That postponement covered the papers set for October 7 to 10, and the board said then that new dates would follow.
Curfew in Mir Ali during operation
A curfew has been imposed in Mir Ali while a security operation continues in the area. It will stay in force until the operation ends. The administration said curfew restrictions will begin from Isha in Mir Ali and Bobli, and the Bannu-Miranshah Road will stay closed to traffic during this period.
Area Representative and Development Council member Malik Rohullah Khan said the general officer commanding in the north had allowed residents to visit markets in Miranshah and Datta Khel to buy essential daily-use items, after he raised the matter. He said residents who need to travel outside North Waziristan can use the Miranshah, Ishak and Razmak routes.
The postponement comes as security forces press on with clearance operations in the district: they recovered 700kg of explosives and a locally made missile in North Waziristan this week.
Attacks in KP fell in October, data shows
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has faced security challenges for months, but the latest figures point to some improvement. The Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) recorded 40 terrorist attacks in the province in October, against 58 in September, a fall of 31 per cent.
Deaths from these attacks fell from 90 to 38, a drop of about 58 per cent, while injuries fell from 165 to 19. In the erstwhile Fata region, attacks fell from 34 in September to 30 in October, a decline of 12 per cent.
The figures form the backdrop to the Army deployment in KP under Article 245, authorised in October to assist the civil administration. Operations against armed groups have continued across KP and Balochistan since then.
What students should do now
Candidates in North Waziristan should watch for the revised date sheet from BISE Bannu rather than assume new dates. The board has said it will announce the schedule later, and students at the two exempted centres should follow the existing timetable.
The postponement leaves candidates waiting, and the board has not said when the papers will be held. Dawn reported the postponement on Tuesday.
Frequently asked questions
Why were the North Waziristan matric exams postponed?
BISE Bannu postponed the Secondary School Certificate Second Annual Examination at most centres in the district on the direction of the deputy commissioner, citing the security situation. A notification dated November 9 announced the decision.
Which centres will still hold exams?
Cadet College Razmak and the centres in Bakakhel Tehsil on Miranshah Road will hold exams as scheduled. All other centres in North Waziristan are postponed.
When will the postponed papers be held?
The board has not announced new dates. A revised schedule will be issued later, and students have been told to wait for instructions from BISE Bannu.
Is there a curfew in North Waziristan?
Yes, a curfew is in force in Mir Ali and Bobli from Isha, for the duration of the security operation. The Bannu-Miranshah Road is closed to traffic during this period.
How many terrorist attacks did KP record in October?
PICSS recorded 40 attacks in KP in October, down from 58 in September, with deaths falling from 90 to 38.
