Bishop flays attack on schoolgirls

LAHORE:Bishop of Lahore Nadeem Kamran Thursday condemned the attack on schoolgirls in Swat and demanded exemplary punishment for the perpetrator. The bishop expressed deep sorrow and concern over the incident wherein a policeman who was deputed for the protection of students at Sangota Convent Girls School in Swat fired at their van. In a press release, he said the brutal attack on innocent students is a sheer violation of their right to education. He termed it a heinous crime which must not go unpunished. The bishop urged the nation to offer prayers for one student who died and others who were injured. He called for stern action against the culprit and requested the authorities concerned to ensure foolproof security for all educational institutions, especially the Christian ones. A five-year-old girl Ayesha was shot dead while Ruma Hussain, Naheed, Arisha, Horeen, Wajiha, Aishal and Hareem sustained bullet injuries when cop M Alam opened fire on their van. The injured were shifted to Saidu Sharif hospital. Swat District Police Officer (DPO) Shafiullah Gandapur said the accused had been detained.