On Thursday, August 22, 2024, assailants fired at a school van in the Attock district of Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province, resulting in the deaths of two girls and leaving six other individuals, including the driver, injured. The assault took place early in the morning as the children were being transported to school, local police reported.
Law enforcement authorities believe that the driver, who was among the injured, was the specific target of the attack due to an existing personal rivalry. Initial investigations suggest the driver had an ongoing dispute with certain individuals, which might have been the motive behind the attack, according to local police official Mohammad Shakil.
The attackers, who were on motorcycles, ambushed the van while it was transporting the school children and fled immediately after the assault. This made it challenging for the police to locate them. A search operation has been initiated to apprehend the assailants, who are still on the run.
The victims, identified as Rameen Shafiq, aged 9, and Arwa Jamshaid, aged 10, were among the deceased.
Five other children, aged between four and 12, along with the driver, aged 48, were wounded in the incident. They were transported to a nearby hospital for medical attention. Local authorities have assured that the injured are receiving the best possible medical care.
The incident has been widely condemned by Pakistan’s political leaders. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his strong condemnation of the incident, describing it as a heinous act and promising swift justice for the victims. He pledged that efforts would be intensified to apprehend those responsible for the crime.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also expressed their condolences over the loss of lives and called for improved security measures to protect children from future attacks. Naqvi has directed authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident and hasten efforts to capture the culprits.
The UNICEF office in Pakistan issued a statement expressing deep sadness over the incident. They extended their heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and stressed the need for enhanced protection for children in conflict-ridden regions.