Two girls killed in Attock school van shooting

RAWALPINDI: Two minor schoolgirls were killed and six others injured when gunmen opened fire on a school van in Dheri Kot village located in the foothills of Kala Chitta Pahar in the jurisdiction of Saddar Model Police Station, Attock.

The shooting took place on Thursday morning. The authorities blamed it on a longstanding feud, according to a spokesman for the regional police officer (RPO).

Driver Afzal, a resident of Dheri Kot, transports children to Malik Anwarul Haq Memorial School. The attackers, identified as Nasser, Naeem, and others, opened indiscriminate fire on the van, killing Rameen Shafiq, 9, and Urwa Fatima, 10, on the spot.

The injured schoolgirls include 8-year-old Mohib Ali (son of Ishtiaq Ahmed), 7-year-old Sameera (daughter of Karam Din), 8-year-old Shahzaf (son of Shafiq Ahmed), 12-year-old Haseeb Ali (son of Saeed Akhtar), and 4-year-old Shahzam (son of Shabbir), as well as the driver Afzal, 48.

While receiving treatment, the van driver, Afzal, stated that the attackers were targeting him. However, when he evaded the gunfire, the gunmen turned their weapons on the children.

Rescue 1122 teams from District Headquarters Attock provided urgent first aid and transferred the injured to the District Headquarters Hospital. A police team, led by the district police officer (DPO), reached the spot to collect evidence.

Speaking to the media, the DPO promised the attackers would be arrested within 24 to 48 hours. A special police team from Saddar Circle Attock has been formed to apprehend the attackers. The DPO emphasized that those responsible for the heinous act would face justice swiftly. The incident sparked outrage across the district, with calls for justice for the young victims and harsh punishment for the perpetrators.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif took immediate notice of the incident, demanding a report from the Rawalpindi Division Commissioner. Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan also condemned the attack, describing the act of targeting children a heinous crime and calling for a thorough investigation to ensure justice is served.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari strongly condemned the incident. In their separate messages, they said targeting a school van was a cruel and shameful act and sympathised with the families.