School girl injured in Khuzdar attack succumbs to injuries

QUETTA: A 12-year-old student who was hurt in the Khuzdar school bus terrorist assault passed away on Thursday at a hospital in Quetta.

A powerful explosion near Zero Point in Balochistan's Khuzdar targeted a school bus, martyring five, including three students, on the spot and injuring dozens of others, drawing condemnations from across the country as well as the international community on Wednesday.

The latest victim had been transferred to Quetta for treatment a day ago, said the hospital administration.

Hospital administration also confirmed that 35 other victims of the Khuzdar blast are still receiving medical care, with five of them in critical condition.

A total of 36 injured persons of the Khuzdar bus attack were initially brought to Quetta for medical attention.

Meanwhile, a first information report (FIR) regarding the terrorist attack on the school bus in Khuzdar has been lodged at the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police station in Khuzdar.

CTD officials stated that the case was filed on behalf of the police and includes charges of murder, attempted murder, and sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Terrorists targeted the school bus as it was heading towards the educational institute with more than 40 students on board in the district of Balochistan, which is among the worst terror-hit provinces.

Following the incident, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir expressed the resolve that time has come for Pakistan to show unwavering national resolve, similar to that demonstrated against Indian aggression, to eliminate foreign-sponsored terrorism and bring the fight to a decisive conclusion.

"Pakistan’s security forces and law enforcement agencies will relentlessly pursue all those involved in this barbaric act," the prime minister was quoted as saying in the official statement during his day-long visit to Quetta to review the law-and-order situation following the terror attack.

The government has said that Indian-backed militants carried out the attack, coming almost two weeks after the two sides settled a ceasefire to end their most serious conflict in decades.