Unknown gunmen kill seven teachers in Swabi

Continuing a militant campaign of violence against aid workers in Pakistan, at least seven teachers, six women and a man, working at an NGO-operated school were shot dead on Tuesday in Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The incident took place in Sher Afzal Banda area in Tehsil Chota Lahore, when unidentified gunmen targeted the teachers who had just exited the school building.

The incident was conducted by two men on a motorcycle who opened fire on a van bringing the workers home, the police said. The deceased worked for the private aid group, which works in the health and education sectors.

The deceased have been identified as Dr Amjad Ali, Rahila, Shahriyat Bibi, Zahida Bibi, Gul Naz, Hum Sher Bibi, Naela Naz. The police say that the motives of the attack have not been known yet and they are investigating.

Station House Officer of Chota Lahor Police Station, Zulfiqar Khan said that the vehicle carrying the employees of Support With Working Solutions (SWWS) organisation was on its way from a centre of the NGO when it was ambushed at Sher Afzal’s Banda area near Anbar Interchange in Swabi district.

The SWWS, with its head office in Karnal Sher Khan Kalley in Swabi, works in health, education and vocational training of women besides working on  maternal and child mortality and reproductive health issues.

Earlier in December 2012, the office of an NGO in Muhallah Gulbahar in Swabi was destroyed when a bomb exploded near its building.

Last month, at least eight Pakistani volunteers in an internationally supported polio vaccination drive were killed by militants across the country.

Senior militants leaders have long accused vaccination drives of being a cover for government and international espionage and regularly threatened workers and officials involved in the effort, though never before to such deadly effect.

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Posted by Web Desk on Jan 1 2013. Filed under National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.