[DAWN] The Sindh government has directed all private schools to finalise their security arrangements before the end of the winter vacation as the government is not in a position to ensure police deployment. Briefing newsmen after a meeting with police and education department officials on Tuesday, Home Secretary Dr Niaz Ali Abbasi said that the government would ensure effective patrolling around the schools under threat. He said that the government would issue arms licences to schools within a week if they required weapons.
There would be no compromise on the security of schoolchildren, he said, adding that the private schools were earning a lot of money in the form of fees and their management could hire private security guards.
He warned the schools management to prepare a specific security plan for their vans as terrorists could plant magnet bombs in school vans and other vehicles.
It was the responsibility of the managements of the schools to make foolproof security arrangements, including fencing around school buildings, installation of CCTV cameras, allowing parking of vehicles at some distance from the school and ensuring children?s drill within the premises of the school, he added.