At least five people, including three children, lost their lives in a devastating suicide bombing that targeted a school bus in the Khuzdar district of Balochistan on Wednesday morning. Several other children sustained injuries, with the most critical cases being shifted to advanced medical facilities in Quetta and Karachi.
According to local authorities, the injured and deceased were initially taken to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Khuzdar. Preliminary investigations suggest the blast was carried out by a suicide bomber.
The military strongly condemned the attack, calling it a “cowardly and ghastly” act. A statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) blamed India for orchestrating the attack through its proxies operating in Balochistan. “After repeated failures on the battlefield, Indian proxies have now resorted to targeting civilians to spread fear and destabilize Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the statement said.
The attack has drawn widespread condemnation across the country and internationally.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) declared the targeting of schoolchildren as a “red line that must never be crossed.” In a statement, the HRCP said such acts are in direct violation of international humanitarian law and the basic principles of humanity. It criticized the federal and provincial governments for repeated security failures and emphasized the need for strengthening civilian institutions and the rule of law rather than relying on indiscriminate force.
The HRCP called for the identification and lawful prosecution of all perpetrators and enablers. It also stressed the need for a meaningful political dialogue to address long-standing issues in Balochistan related to representation, governance, and resource distribution.
Meanwhile, the United States Embassy in Pakistan also condemned the attack, stating, “We stand with Pakistan in condemning this heinous act of terror.”
