More than 50 government schools were ordered closed in northwestern Pakistan after an unmanned aerial vehicle crashed into the Governor Model High School building in Ghalanai tehsil of Mohmand district on Monday, officials said.
Mohmand Deputy Commissioner Yasir Hassan confirmed the incident and said security forces were attempting to shoot down a second drone detected in the area. Debris from the UAV was found on the school’s veranda; there were no casualties and no major structural damage. Authorities tightened security around the compound and cordoned off the site for inspection.
As a precaution, at least 54 government schools in Mohmand district were temporarily shut: one in Ghalanai, 33 in Baizai, 10 in Safi and two in Khwezai, according to an official notification from the DC’s office. Separately, the district administration in North Waziristan ordered the closure of 33 educational institutions in sensitive border areas, including 16 girls’ schools.
Officials in Bajaur tribal district also announced that 39 government schools in various border localities will remain closed until further notice. That decision followed a meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali Khan, who issued the closure notification.
A senior district official said students’ safety is the top priority and that the temporary suspension of academic activities was unavoidable under the current circumstances. Parents were asked to cooperate with the administration and to restrict unnecessary movement of their children while authorities assess security risks.
PTI | Islamabad, Updated At: 04:23 PM Mar 02, 2026 IST
