At least five people, including three schoolchildren, were martyred and 38 others injured in a suicide bombing targeting a school bus near Zero Point on the Karachi-Quetta National Highway in Khuzdar on Wednesday morning.
According to local officials, the explosion occurred when a vehicle packed with explosives was detonated remotely as the school bus passed by the roadside near one of the busiest junctions on the highway.
“A car laden with explosives was parked along the roadside. As the school bus approached, it was detonated remotely,” said a senior police official. Authorities have launched a full-scale investigation to determine the type of explosive used and identify the attackers.
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Deputy Commissioner Khuzdar confirmed that the injured victims were transported to CMH (Combined Military Hospital) for urgent medical treatment. He added that preliminary findings suggest the attack was a suicide bombing and that security agencies are investigating further.
In a powerful statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) directly accused India of orchestrating the deadly school bus bombing through its proxy terrorist networks. The statement described the attack as part of India’s “state-sponsored terrorism” aimed at destabilizing Pakistan.
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“This cowardly attack was executed by the Indian intelligence network using its proxy organisations, targeting innocent school-going children,” the ISPR said, confirming that five people — including three children — were martyred.
Calling it a heinous and inhumane act, the military’s media wing condemned the assault as another sign of the Indian government’s moral collapse and anti-human policies.
The ISPR warned that the attack is part of a broader attempt by India to ignite unrest in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially following its defeat in the recent military operation Bunyan-um-Marsus, where terrorist hideouts were dismantled by Pakistan’s security forces.
“All those involved — planners, facilitators, and perpetrators — will be brought to justice,” the statement said, reaffirming the armed forces’ commitment to eliminate terrorism with the full backing of the nation.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued strong condemnations following the incident. Both leaders expressed deep sorrow over the loss of innocent lives and conveyed their condolences to the bereaved families.
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President Zardari labeled the attack an “inhumane and heinous crime,” blaming Indian-backed terrorist groups for the act. “India is supporting terrorists to destabilise Pakistan. Such acts will not go unpunished,” the President said, adding that Pakistan would expose India’s aggression at the international level.
“These terrorists are the enemies of education, humanity, and progress. But their plans will fail,” he added, praying for the martyrs and their families.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the bombing as a “cowardly act” and said the attackers had crossed all boundaries of brutality by targeting innocent schoolchildren. He extended condolences to the families of the victims and said, “The sympathies of the entire nation, including mine, are with the affected parents and teachers.”
PM Sharif ordered swift medical treatment for the injured and immediate action to bring the perpetrators to justice. “Those responsible, raised under Indian patronage, will be brought to their end,” he declared.
“This attack once again reflects the terrorists’ hostility toward education and peace in Balochistan. We will defeat their evil agenda. Pakistan is united in its fight against terrorism,” he added.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, terming the act a “heinous conspiracy” against national stability. “The beasts who target innocent children do not deserve any concession,” he stated.
Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), called the attack “barbaric and cowardly”, stating that terrorism against schoolchildren is the “height of brutality.”
“After being defeated on the battlefield, India is resorting to low tactics. The entire nation mourns this great tragedy. May Allah Almighty grant the innocent children a high place in heaven. We stand with the victims’ families,” he said.
