ISLAMABAD: The United States has strongly condemned Wednesday’s attack on a school bus in Khuzdar district of Pakistan’s south-western Balochistan province, terming it a “brutal” and “unconscionable” act.
In a statement on Wednesday, US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker expressed deep sorrow over the loss of innocent lives, particularly children, and voiced solidarity with the victims’ families and those recovering from the tragedy.
“We join Pakistan’s leaders in condemning the brutal, unconscionable attack on a school bus in Khuzdar, Balochistan. The murder of innocent children is beyond comprehension. We grieve with the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts are with those recovering. No child should ever fear going to school. We stand with those in Pakistan working to end this violence,” the US envoy said.
We join Pakistan’s leaders in condemning the brutal, unconscionable attack on a school bus in Khuzdar, Balochistan. The murder of innocent children is beyond comprehension. We grieve with the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts are with those recovering. No child… pic.twitter.com/f32o725Hih
— U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) May 21, 2025
Five killed in school bus attack
Earlier today, at least five people, including three school children, were killed when a school bus was targeted in a suicide blast in Khuzdar district.
Khuzdar Deputy Commissioner Yasir Iqbal Dashti confirmed the casualties to WE News.
Deputy Commissioner Dashti also said the children were targeted in a suicide blast, however, further investigation into the nature of the blast was underway.
“In yet another cowardly and ghastly attack planned and orchestrated by the terrorist state of India and executed by its proxies in Balochistan, the innocent school-going children’s bus was targeted today in Khuzdar,” a statement by the ISPR read.
“As per the initial reports, three innocent children and two adults have embraced martyrdom and multiple children have sustained injuries,” the press release added.
“After having miserably failed in the battlefield, through these most heinous and cowardly acts, Indian proxies have been unleashed to spread terror and unrest in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the ISPR said.
PM Sharif, Field Marshal Munir visiting Quetta
The Associated Press of Pakistan reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir will undertake an emergency visit to Quetta and be given a briefing on the attack “carried out by terrorists under the patronage of India”.
The Prime Minister’s Office said the two would also enquire after the health of those injured in the attack.
“The ceremony scheduled to be held this evening at Aiwan-i-Sadr in honour of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has been postponed at his own request due to the tragic attack in Khuzdar,” it added.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the “explosion inside the bus near Khuzdar Zero Point”.
In a statement shared on X, the interior minister expressed deep sorrow and grief over the death of four children and extended his condolences to their families.
“The beasts who target innocent children do not deserve any leniency. The enemy demonstrated barbarity by attacking innocent children,” Naqvi asserted.
“The attack on the school bus is a heinous conspiracy of the enemy to create instability in the country. With the unity of the nation, we will foil every conspiracy,” the interior minister vowed.
Naqvi also prayed for the speedy recovery of the wounded.
Indian-sponsored terrorism
“In yet another cowardly and ghastly attack planned and orchestrated by [the] terrorist state of India and executed by its proxies in Balochistan, [an] innocent school-going children[’s] bus was targeted today in Khuzdar,” Pakistan military’s media wing said in a statement.
In the statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that after having miserably failed on the battlefield, through these most heinous and cowardly acts, Indian proxies have been unleashed to spread terror and unrest in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Having failed in Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos and being hunted by military and law enforcement agencies, the ISPR said, these Indian terror proxies are being employed as a state tool by India to foment terrorism in Pakistan against soft targets such as innocent children and civilians.
“[The] use of terrorism as a state policy by the Indian political government is abhorrent and reflective of their low morality and disregard for basic human norms,” the ISPR noted.
Planners, abettors, and executors of this cowardly Indian-sponsored attack will be hunted down and brought to justice and the heinous face of India will be exposed in front of the entire world.
“Pakistan Armed Forces, with the support of a brave Pakistani nation, stand united to uproot Indian-sponsored terrorism from Pakistan in all its manifestations,” the military’s media wing said.
