Tragic Blast in Mastung: Schoolchildren Among Victims of Terrorist Attack

An explosive attack in Mastung, Pakistan, targeted a police van escorting a polio vaccination team, leaving nine dead and 22 injured, mostly schoolchildren. The attack, condemned by leaders and UNICEF, highlights the ongoing threat to education and child safety in Balochistan.

The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Quetta, Pakistan, has filed a First Information Report (FIR) against unidentified terrorists involved in a deadly blast in Mastung that claimed nine lives and injured 22 others, ARY News reported. The explosion occurred on Friday, tragically targeting a police van on duty near Civil Hospital Chowk.

The attack notably affected schoolchildren, marking a grim day in the town. According to the police, the explosive device, weighing between seven to eight kilograms and filled with ball bearings, was used to execute the attack. It specifically aimed at a police van providing security for a polio vaccination team.

The incident drew widespread condemnation from various leaders. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed that the attack symbolizes terrorists' hostility towards education in Balochistan. Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti labeled the assault as 'inhumane' and highlighted how innocent children and laborers are now in the crosshairs of terror acts. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) also decried the violence, stressing the imperative to protect children amidst escalating threats. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)