At least five people, including three schoolchildren, lost their lives and several others were wounded when a suicide bomber targeted a school bus near Zero Point on the Karachi-Quetta National Highway in Khuzdar on Wednesday.
According to officials, the explosion happened as a school bus carrying children passed by a vehicle that had been parked on the roadside and rigged with explosives.
The blast occurred near the busy Zero Point area, a crucial junction on the national highway.
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“A vehicle parked on the roadside contained the explosive device, which was detonated remotely as the school bus approached,” a senior police officer explained. Authorities are currently investigating the nature of the bomb and identifying those responsible.
Deputy Commissioner Khuzdar confirmed that the injured were taken to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) for treatment. He also stated that the explosion was a suicide attack and an investigation is ongoing to track down the perpetrators.
Pakistan Army accuses India of orchestrating the attack via proxies
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) of the Pakistan Army blamed India for orchestrating the deadly attack through its proxy terrorist groups, calling it a continuation of India’s “state-sponsored terrorism” aimed at destabilizing Pakistan.
In an official statement, the ISPR confirmed that five people, including three children, were killed and many others injured in the attack near Zero Point on the Karachi-Quetta highway.
“This cowardly act was carried out by Indian intelligence networks using proxy organizations to target innocent schoolchildren,” the statement said.
The military strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a clear example of the Indian government’s “moral decay and anti-human policies.”
The ISPR further criticized India’s state terrorism and urged the international community to hold India accountable.
“This heinous act is an attempt by the Indian state to destabilize Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially after their defeat in the recent military operation ‘Bunyan-um-Marsus’,” the statement added, referring to Pakistan’s successful offensive against terrorist hideouts.
The ISPR vowed that all those involved — planners, facilitators, and executors — would be brought to justice.
“Such acts will not weaken Pakistan’s resolve. With public support, the armed forces will eliminate Indian-sponsored terrorism from across the country,” the statement concluded.
President and Prime Minister condemn the Khuzdar attack
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the suicide bombing on the school bus in Khuzdar, which killed five people, including three children, and injured over 40 others. Both leaders expressed deep sorrow and offered condolences to the families of the victims.
President Zardari called the attack “an inhumane and heinous crime,” holding Indian-backed terrorist groups responsible. He stated, “India is supporting terrorists to destabilize Pakistan. Such acts will not go unpunished. We will eliminate Indian-backed terrorism and expose this aggression globally.”
He emphasized that the attackers are enemies of education, humanity, and national progress, adding, “They do not want Balochistan to prosper, but their plans will fail.” The President prayed for the departed souls and strength for the grieving families.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the bombing as a “cowardly act” by terrorists who have “crossed all limits of brutality” by targeting schoolchildren. He extended sympathies to the affected families and urged authorities to ensure immediate medical treatment for the injured. He also called on law enforcement to swiftly identify and punish the culprits.
“The terrorists, raised under Indian patronage, will meet their end,” the Prime Minister stated. He highlighted that the attack shows the terrorists’ hatred for education and peace in Balochistan, affirming Pakistan’s unity and determination to eradicate terrorism.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack, expressing sorrow over the children’s deaths and offering condolences to their families.
“Those who target innocent children deserve no mercy,” he said. “This barbaric assault on a school bus aims to destabilize the country, but every conspiracy will be thwarted by national unity.”
Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan also condemned the attack on X (formerly Twitter), calling it “condemnable and regrettable,” and described terrorism against children as the “height of brutality and cowardice.”
“After being defeated on the battlefield, India is resorting to desperate tactics,” he added. “This tragedy is mourned by the entire nation. May Allah grant the innocent children a high place in heaven. We stand with the affected families in their grief and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.”
