If the Taliban attack at the Bacha Khan University revealed a lack of solid intelligence to pre-empt incidents of terror, then some of the security measures taken by the government are reflective of a lack of intelligence in decision-making.
Even that is an understatement.
Hot on the heels of several perplexing counter-intuitive decisions, such as arming teachers with weapons to protect students rather than taking charge in complete earnest themselves, KP officials have recently issued another bizarre directive.
Take a look: Armed teachers in classrooms — 'You have guns. You can fight it out'
In Peshawar, the elementary and secondary education departments have informed all schools that in the event a watchman is unable to handle a weapon, the onus is on him to bring a relative (it could be his grandma armed to the dentures) to school if he believes this person can do the job.
Pending approval from the PTC (Parent Teacher Councils), the directive also recommends that the watchman be issued a shotgun and gun license. This is to the vexation of the education department, which says that the underfunded PTC lacks the finances to purchase such a weapon.
The circular, which has been sent to several levels of the law enforcement and local bodies, ironically says:
"These instructions should be followed in letter and spirit to ensure foolproof security of the schools throughout the province."
Yes, certainly, placing a dangerous weapon in the hands of an unknown person is a ‘foolproof’ idea.
Speaking to Dawn, a district education officer confessed he was unable to understand why any person unemployed by the school or government would put their life at risk during a terrorist attack.
“It is beyond my understanding as to how a headmaster will ask a watchman to bring his relative for holding a gun and protecting a government school.”
With this loophole in place, could any militant simply not enter the school by claiming to be the relative of a watchman who has failed to show up to work?
Frustratingly, this decision impacts primary and secondary schools, where innocent children are being placed at the mercy of a watchman’s armed 'family'.
Is a watchman really qualified to decide whom of his relatives is physically and mentally competent to handle a gun in the event of a terror attack?
Are parents truly comfortable with putting the lives of their children in the hands of their school watchmen's relatives?
Sadly, this is another example of the authorities sticking their heads firmly in the sand, while shifting the burden on to parents and teachers.
As the education officer says, "the entire responsibility of school security rested with untrained watchman and his relatives."
School headmasters have also been tasked with deploying security measures, such as constructing watchtowers, installing barriers, and deploying guards.
Has everyone all but forgotten that these educators are trained to teach rather than set up elaborate defence perimeters. They are teachers, not individuals proficient in the art of war.
Also read: Bullets and backpacks — Arming school teachers is a stopgap measure
So far, more than 700 FIRs have been registered by the police against the heads of private schools for not implementing these orders. Evidently, the province’s law enforcement is ready to blackmail and strong arm educators into doing their job for them.
When it comes to defence budgets, we are ranked at 25 in the world with $7.6 billion allocated to our armed forces, which is nearly 20 per cent of our budget.
We are a nuclear-armed nation equipped with the latest weapons and training in counter-terrorism.
In terms of active military personnel, we are the seventh-largest, and where skills are concerned, our security forces are ranked amongst the best in the world.
Read more: Pakistan Army is world's most accomplished force: Gen Raheel
Yet, the best plan the provincial government can come up with to protect schools in KP is to arm teachers and random relatives of watchmen?
Why arm our civilians with swords when we boast dragons?