Private schools in Pakistan's troubled north-western Swat district
have been ordered to close in a Taleban edict banning girls' education.
Militants seeking to impose their austere interpretation of Sharia law
have destroyed about 150 schools in the past year. Five more were blown
up despite a government pledge to safeguard education, it was reported
on Monday. Here a seventh grade schoolgirl from Swat chronicles how the
ban has affected her and her classmates. The diary first appeared on BBC
Urdu online.
THURSDAY JANUARY 15: NIGHT FILLED WITH ARTILLERY FIRE
The night was filled with the noise of artillery fire and I woke up
three times. But since there was no school I got up later at 10 am.
Afterwards, my friend came over and we discussed our homework.
The Taleban have repeatedly targeted schools in Swat
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Today is 15 January, the last day before the Taleban's edict comes into effect, and my friend was discussing homework as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
Today, I also read the diary written for the BBC (in Urdu) and published in the newspaper. My mother liked my pen name 'Gul Makai' and said to my father 'why not change her name to Gul Makai?' I also like the name because my real name means 'grief stricken'.
My father said that some days ago someone brought the printout of this diary saying how wonderful it was. My father said that he smiled but could not even say that it was written by his daughter.
WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY: I MAY NOT GO TO SCHOOL AGAIN
I was in a bad mood while going to school because winter vacations
are starting from tomorrow. The principal announced the vacations but
did not mention the date the school was to reopen. This was the first
time this has happened.
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This time round, the girls were not too excited about vacations because they knew if the Taleban implemented their edict they would not be able to come to school again. Some girls were optimistic that the schools would reopen in February but others said that their parents had decided to shift from Swat and go to other cities for the sake of their education.
Since today was the last day of our school, we decided to play in the playground a bit longer. I am of the view that the school will one day reopen but while leaving I looked at the building as if I would not come here again.
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