By The South Asia Times

LAKKI MARWAT -  Not less than a miracle, and truly a display of administrative wizardry — Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, with his bureaucratic dexterity, turned despair into hope.

A community tragedy that had loomed large over the dusty compound of Government Girls High School Dallo Khel, Lakki Marwat, has finally vanished.

After years of haunting silence, the school — once echoing with the laughter of young girls dreaming of becoming doctors, teachers, and engineers — has reopened.

The classrooms had turned into empty shells with their windows shattered, walls cracked, and blackboards buried under layers of dust, and are now ready once again to welcome dreams and light, bringing long-awaited smiles to the faces of the area’s citizens.

Today, the school is being repaired, classrooms are being cleaned, and the gates once locked in despair now stand open in hope. Classes have resumed, marking a powerful victory for education, governance, and community spirit.

As one resident put it: “The Chief Secretary and the Commissioner Bannu didn’t just reopen a school — they reopened our daughters’ dreams.”

For 8 years, not a single class had been held. The dreams of 281 girls were locked away — literally — when a personal dispute between a former school employee and the administration spiraled into a community tragedy.

The reopening of the school brings a ray of hope for 281 young girls whose dreams had long been dimmed by the lack of educational opportunities. It marks a turning point in the fight against the high dropout rate among girls — a challenge the provincial government is striving hard to overcome by channelling its resources and attention toward this pressing issue. In a district already struggling with a severe shortage of girls’ schools, this development rekindles the promise of a brighter, more empowered future for its daughters.

“My daughter cried every morning when she saw other children going to school,” recalls a father from Dallo Khel. “She used to ask, ‘Dad, what did we do wrong?’”

Years passed, the building deteriorated, desks broke, and wild plants took over the courtyard. The girls were shifted to a nearby middle school already crowded beyond capacity. Education in the locality — especially for girls — was getting out of their reach.

But fate changed and fortune smiled on dwellers of the area when the issue, which all began with one defiant man — a former Naib Qasid — who, after being removed from service over misconduct, reached the attention of the Bannu Commissioner Khalid Mehmood and Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, whose direct intervention reignited the light of education in the remote locality of Dallo Khel.

Acting swiftly on his directions, Commissioner Bannu Division mobilised the District Administration and Education Department, ensuring that the long-neglected school was reopened and restored.

The incumbent Deputy Commissioner, Hameedullah Khan, known for his rich experience in crisis management and a record of effective service in key administrative positions, once again transformed directives into decisive action. Taking personal responsibility, he visited the site and, in the presence of local elders, unlocked the gates that had remained closed for nearly a decade. Inside stood a crumbling building — with damaged walls, broken furniture, and wild overgrowth — yet that very moment rekindled a long-lost hope in the hearts of the community.

In close coordination, District Police Officer (DPO) Nazir Khan PSP also played a pivotal role by ensuring a peaceful environment and extending full cooperation to the district administration throughout the rehabilitation process. His department maintained strict security at the site and supported the reopening efforts, further strengthening public confidence in local governance.

The Deputy Commissioner did not let bureaucratic red tape stall the process and immediately ordered rehabilitation within one week. A fund of Rs. 6 lakh was released for renovation, while District Levies were deployed to maintain law and order and prevent any further obstruction.

Thanks to the effective coordination and strong resolve of the provincial leadership, restoration work began at once. Local elders pledged their full support, standing beside the administration to secure the girls’ right to education.

During the inauguration, GGHS Dallo Khel (Lakki Marwat) presented a transformed look. All classrooms were whitewashed, washrooms cleaned, and the boundary wall properly fenced. Chairs, tables, and blackboards were freshly painted and neatly arranged. The school ground, verandas, and staff room were cleared and cleaned, while electrical fittings, water supply lines, and the main gate area were thoroughly checked. The entire premises stood neat, secure, and fully functional — a complete revival that reflected the strong commitment of the administration to restore education in the area.

“Given the concrete performance and the impressive string of successes in quick succession, this achievement is truly another feather in the present DC-led district administration’s cap. Their bold venture to resolve the long-festering issue of the closed school has finally borne fruit — its reopening is indeed a rare occurrence,” a citizen remarked while referring to the issue.

Unlike cosmetic changes of the past, Lakki Marwat is now undergoing a genuine and meaningful transformation, spearheaded by the present administration under the leadership of the Deputy Commissioner. The district is steadily emerging as a true model for neighbouring administrations to emulate in their pursuit of improving the quality of life for their citizens.