The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned the terrorist attack on a school bus in Khuzdar, Balochistan, which resulted in the tragic deaths of at least seven Pakistanis, including five schoolchildren. At least 52 others, including 38 children, were injured in the attack.
In response to the attack, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police have stepped up security at schools across the province.
The Department of Education has been formally alerted, with a directive issued to District Education Officers to enhance safety measures at all educational institutions.
In a press statement, the Security Council expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the Pakistani government and people. The Council also wished a speedy recovery for those injured.
The Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all forms poses a severe threat to international peace and security. It called for the accountability of the perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of such attacks, urging states to cooperate with Pakistan in bringing the responsible parties to justice.
The statement reiterated that terrorism is unjustifiable, regardless of the motive, and emphasised the need for all countries to combat terrorism through all available means, under international law.
Read more: K-P tightens school security after Khuzdar attack
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also condemned the terrorist attack on a school bus in Khuzdar, calling it a violation of basic human rights and international law.
HRCP strongly condemns the heinous attack on a school bus in Khuzdar, Balochistan, which has reportedly killed several children and left dozens injured. The deliberate targeting of schoolchildren—innocent noncombatants in every sense—is a red line that must never be crossed. This…
— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) May 21, 2025
The HRCP stressed the need for the state to address issues in Balochistan through political dialogue and lawful measures rather than violent responses, while urging the identification and prosecution of those responsible for the attack.
International reactions included strong condemnations from the United States and China. The US Embassy in Islamabad expressed sorrow over the murder of innocent children, emphasising that no child should fear going to school.
We join Pakistan’s leaders in condemning the brutal, unconscionable attack on a school bus in Khuzdar, Balochistan. The murder of innocent children is beyond comprehension. We grieve with the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts are with those recovering. No child… pic.twitter.com/f32o725Hih
— U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) May 21, 2025
Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong also condemned the attack and reiterated China’s support for Pakistan in countering terrorism and ensuring social stability.
Khuzdar School Bus Attack
The suspected bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the school bus as it drove past Zero Point near Rakhshan Hotel, Deputy Commissioner Yasir Iqbal Dashti said, adding that the bus was ferrying students to the Army Public School situated within the Khuzdar cantonment. The vehicle was rigged with more than 30 kilograms of explosives, according to the Bomb Disposal Squad.
Read more: PM Shehbaz, Field Marshal Munir vow to end India-backed terrorism after Khuzdar attack
The military’s media wing stated that “three innocent children and two adults have embraced Shahadat” and multiple children have sustained injuries in the “cowardly and ghastly attack planned and orchestrated by the terrorist state of India and executed by its proxies in Balochistan.
The ISPR added that India has unleashed its proxies to spread terror and unrest in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa through such heinous and cowardly acts after miserably failing on the battlefield.
Soon after the deadly attack, security forces cordoned off the area and launched an investigation. Security was tightened in and around Khuzdar following the bombing, with checkpoints established and patrols intensified to prevent further attacks.
