Pakistani girls' schools in radicals' sights

As militancy surges in Pakistan's remote tribal areas, girls' schools have become targets. Despite the threats, girls' enrollment has continued to rise. Part 3 of three.

from the May 31, 2007 edition

Page 3 of 3

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There could be little to stop it. Ms. Gulrez adds that the voices of extremists, particularly when conveyed through bombs, are often much stronger than those of concerned parents or civil society. "The parents are poor. They don't have a voice. The situation is so volatile, but civil society cannot take a stand."

Officials have publicly condemned the attacks, and say privately that a citizen-led countercampaign should be mustered.

"If you want to break a tradition, naturally there will be a backlash," says Mr. Ahmad. "When you create an awareness program, the chances of success are 50/50. For NWFP, even if it's 50 percent, that's a good start."

Indeed, if Fazlullah and others are against female education, it is probably because girls are pouring into schools. In Swat valley alone, primary school enrollment for girls has increased by nearly 31,000 since 2002, or 77 percent.

And even though Fazlullah started preaching two years ago, girls' enrollment in Swat last year grew by more than 12,000, according to government statistics. As a result, female illiteracy has gone down by 9 percentage points in less than a decade. And national statistics suggest that female enrollment at the primary level has climbed by 12 percentage points between 1998 and 2005, according to the World Bank.

"We have no problem," says Ghulam Akbar, the executive district officer of education in Swat. "The girls are still going. Very [few] have stopped."

• Last of a daily three-part series.

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