As five minors were among seven killed in a blast in Mastung district on Friday morning, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti condemned the “targeting of innocent children”.

A policeman was also martyred in the incident, while 17 others were injured, according to Kalat Division Commissioner Naeem Bazai.

“So far, seven individuals have been martyred, including five school students, and 17 others have sustained injuries,” Bazai confirmed to Dawn.com.

He said the blast occurred at around 8:35am near Mastung Civil Hospital. A girls’ school is located a one-minute walk away from the hospital, Google Maps shows.

“It appears that an IED (improvised explosive device) attached to a motorcycle was detonated near a police mobile,” Bazai noted.

While state broadcaster PTV News quoted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as condemning a “bomb blast on a girls’ high school”, another post by the outlet said the incident occurred “near Girls’ High School Chowk”.

The injured were being treated at Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Raisani Memorial Hospital and Mastung District Headquarters Hospital, with 11 of them later shifted to the Quetta Trauma Centre (QTC).

Those shifted to Quetta included a five-year-old girl and a teenage boy, according to a list of patients issued by QTC Managing Director Arbab Kamran. Five of them were stated to be in a serious condition.

The deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner were overseeing the situation at the hospitals, Bazai said. He highlighted that the police have cordoned off the area to prevent any further incidents.

Earlier, Mastung District Police Officer (DPO) Miandad Umrani told Dawn.com that four policemen were among the injured.

He also stated that the deceased children were aged between five and 10 years. A police van and several auto-rickshaws were damaged as a result of the explosion, according to the DPO.

Footage from the incident site showed policemen and other people gathered near a charred police van.

‘Innocent children targeted’

CM Bugti said terrorists had now “targeted innocent children along with poor labourers”, apparently referring to a recent attack that killed five security guards in Panjgur.

In a statement on X, the chief minister condemned the blast, saying it was “inhumane”.

CM Bugti said terrorists had targeted children deeming them to be a “soft target”.

“We will avenge the murder of innocent children and people,” CM said, adding that civilians in urban areas also needed to be on the watch for the terrorists.

“The monster of terrorism can only be fought together,” he added.

PM Shehbaz and Acting President Yusuf Raza Gilani also condemned the “bomb blast at a Girls’ High School in Mastung”, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.

In their separate statements, they expressed deep grief over the death of children and a policeman in the incident, conveying their condolences to the bereaved families.

Gilani reiterated the resolve to root out terrorism from the country, asserting that terrorists were the humanity’s enemies.

The “entire nation stands united to support the security forces and law enforcement agencies to eliminate terrorism”, he was quoted as saying.

PM Shehbaz said the “attack on a school was loud evidence of terrorists’ animosity towards education in Balochistan”.

He asserted such cowardly acts of terrorists could neither undermine the nation’s morale nor could they shake the Balochistan government’s unwavering resolve to promote education and development in the province.

The premier, the statement said, directed the authorities concerned to apprehend the perpetrators of the blast and give them an exemplary punishment.

He also instructed that the best medical treatment facilities be provided to the injured.

This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.