Two girls were killed while five children and a man were injured when unknown men opened fire at a school van in Attock District’s Dheri Kot area on Thursday, police and rescue officials said.

“Two children were killed and five children were injured when gunmen indiscriminately opened fire on a school van,” Attock police spokesman Waseem Babar told AFP.

The gunmen, who fled the scene, were embroiled in court cases with the family of the driver, who was also hurt in the shooting, according to Babar.

The girls killed were aged 10 or 11, Babar said.

The children were on their way to school when the attack happened around 8am. The Attock police reached the site of the incident while the injured and the bodies were shifted to a hospital.

Regional Police Officer (RPO) Babar Sarfraz Alpa said the incident occurred due to “personal enmity”.

“The gunfire was aimed at the driver but also caused harm to the children,” the RPO said.

He added that a case had been registered against the suspects and raids were being carried out to arrest them.

RPO Sarfraz said he hoped the culprits would be arrested soon.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Condemnations pour in

President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the incident and said that strict action must be taken against those responsible, according to a statement from the President’s House.

“Targeting innocent children is a cruel and shameful act,” the statement read.

He prayed for the deceased, as well as for the speedy recovery of the injured children.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said such an attack on children was “a cruel and gruesome act”, Radio Pakistan reported.

Expressing solidarity with the bereaved families, the premier prayed for the departed souls and early recovery of the injured.

He also directed the authorities concerned to take stern action against the culprits and to provide the best treatment facilities to the injured children.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families, a statement shared by state broadcaster PTV News said.

Praying for the injured children to get well soon, he said that those “targeting innocent children did not deserve to be called human beings”.

“The shooting incident on children inside the school van is a monstrosity. Those exhibiting barbarism are not entitled to any concession,” Naqvi asserted.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz sought a report on the incident from Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar, according to a statement issued by her public relations officer.

She expressed deep grief over the death of the two students and directed that the best treatment facilities be provided to the injured.

National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also condemned the attack, calling for the “strictest possible action” against the perpetrators, PTV News reported.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said his “heart was crying tears of blood” after hearing about the deaths of the children.

“Those with the blood of students on their hands are beasts,” the PPP MNA said in a statement shared by his party on X.

Bilawal said he stood with the bereaved families and prayed for them to have patience. He also expressed the hope that proper treatment of the injured children and the driver would be ensured.

While incidents of gun violence targeting children are uncommon in the country, the recent shooting was not an isolated case.

Last year, a student was killed and six others as well as a teacher were inj­ured when a cop posted outside a school suddenly opened fire at a van in the Sangota area of Swat.

In October 2022, unidentified armed men riding a motorcycle opened fire on a school van in Swat’s Char Bagh area, killing the driver and injuring a child.

According to the police, 15 students were inside the vehicle at the time of the attack.

On December 16, 2014, 147 students and staff members of the Army Public School (APS) Peshawar were martyred in a gun attack by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants.

In 2012, education activist and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai’s school bus was attacked by the TTP. While Yousafzai was the prime target, other children riding with her in the van had also sustained injuries.