Five children injured in firing on school van in Battagram

BATTAGRAM: Five children were injured when a masked gunman opened fire on a school van traveling from the suburban area of Peerhai to Battagram on Tuesday morning.

Police officials said the injured were initially provided first aid and later shifted to Ayub Medical Complex in Abbottabad for advanced treatment. They said the attacker allegedly targeted the vehicle due to a personal feud with the driver, who was not in the van at the time of the assault.

The children and other passengers reportedly shouted at the assailant, alerting him that the driver was not present. Despite the pleas, the gunman indiscriminately fired at the van, injuring the children.

The attacker fled the scene and Kozabanda Police Station launched an operation to track down the perpetrator. The incident has triggered a wave of grief and outrage across Battagram. Protests erupted in the main Battagram bazaar after the attack. Demonstrators blocked roads and chanted slogans demanding justice for the injured children.

Although an FIR has been registered, the protesters criticized the omission of Anti-Terrorism Act clauses from the report. They demanded immediate inclusion of terrorism charges. Fayyaz Jamal Khan, a prominent political and community leader in Battagram, condemned the attack and called it a complete failure of the local police and security system. He demanded the immediate arrest of the attacker within 24 hours. MNA Muhammad Nawaz Khan expressed deep sorrow and outrage over the tragic incident. He said, “This brutal attack has shaken the entire district. I assure the people of Battagram that I am in close contact with law enforcement agencies and the provincial authorities to ensure that justice is done without delay.”