Lahore: Gunmen opened fire on a school van in Pakistan's Punjab province on Thursday, killing two children and wounding five other people. The incident took place in the Dheri Kot area of Attock district, some 400 km from Lahore. According to police, the school van was going to drop children at their school when it came under fire from unidentified gunmen.
"Some seven children aged between five and 10 were injured in the attack. They were shifted to hospital where two of them succumbed to their wounds while the condition of another two is said to be critical," the police said and added the van driver also suffered injuries.
Senior police officer Sardar Ghayas Gul told reporters that police teams have been constituted to arrest the gunmen with the help of CCTV footage. He said the police are probing the matter from all aspects whether it is a terrorism-related incident or the driver had enmity with someone.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz took notice of the incident and said that those involved in this heinous crime of targeting a school van would not escape justice. The Chief Minister directed the police to ensure the early arrest of the shooters.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari have condemned the attack on school children. Sharif said such an attack on children was “quite 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.
(With inputs from agency)
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