Dawn Images

In the wake of a tragic attack on a school bus in Balochistan’s Khuzdar that claimed the lives of three chidren, Pakistani celebrities have taken to social media to express their grief and outrage.

Security forces vowed on Wednesday to relentlessly pursue the culprits of the attack. According to official sources, 53 people were injured, including 39 children, eight of whom have been reported to be in critical condition.

As news of the massacre spread, celebrities denounced the brutality of targeting schoolchildren. The prevailing sentiment was one of heartbreak, disbelief and frustration over the increasing frequency of such violent tragedies. Many echoed demands for swift justice and accountability.

Actor Mawra Hocane wrote in an Instagram story, “Astaghfirullah. Khuzdar attack. Every new report is worse than the previous one… attacking children… a school bus! What’s wrong with the world… whatever happened to humanity? Praying for all the affected families. I can’t even fathom their pain. May Allah give you patience to deal with the pain.”

Durefishan Saleem expressed despair over the incident, describing it as an attack on the very essence of humanity. “The attack in Khuzdar has shaken me to the core. A school bus… full of children… targeted in cold blood. What kind of cruelty allows someone to harm the most innocent among us?”

She continued, “Every day, the headlines get darker. Tragedy after tragedy. And we’re expected to carry on like this is normal. It’s not normal. It should never be. Those who planned and carried out this barbaric act are not just criminals — they are enemies of humanity. Justice must not just be demanded, it must be delivered — swiftly and without compromise.”

She concluded her note with the message that no parent should have to bury their child, just like no child should have to live in fear.

Singer Annural Khalid summed up the shared disgust in her succinct post: “No bigger cowards than those who target literal children for their own political/power gains.”

Actor Shahroz Sabzwari also took to social media, writing, “Coward enemy targets innocent school kids.”

The federal government, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a visit to Quetta, condemned the attack in the strongest terms. The PM’s office attributed the assault to “state-sponsored proxies of India (Fitna al Hindustan),” labelling it part of a broader strategy to destabilise Pakistan by targeting civilians, particularly children, in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The official statement vowed that “Pakistan’s security forces and law enforcement agencies will relentlessly pursue all those involved in this barbaric act,” and called for global condemnation of “India’s morally indefensible tactics.”