Two children killed, five injured after gunmen attack school van in Attock

• Two deceased children include a 9-year-old boy, 10-year-old girl.
• CM Maryam has sought a report from Rawalpindi commissioner.
• President Zardari terms attack "very cruel and shameful".
  

ATTOCK: At least two children have been killed and five were injured after gunmen opened fire at a school van in Dheri Kot, Attock, rescue officials told Geo News on Thursday.

The ages of the children injured in the gun attack are between five and 12 years old, they added.

They have been shifted to the hospital, said the rescue officials.

The children killed in the attack included a nine-year-old and a 10-year-old, while the five injured included two eight-year-olds, one was seven, one one was 12 and one child is four years old.

The two children — both girls named Arwa Fatima and Rameen Shafiq — died on the spot.

The rescue officials, who reached the site after the attack, shifted the injured children and dead bodies to the Asfandyar Bukhari District Hospital Attock.

In the wake of the attack, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has sought a report from Rawalpindi Commissioner Abdul Aamer Khattak.

The chief minister has also expressed deep sorrow over the death of the two children in the attack.

CM Maryam also directed relevant authorities to provide the best treatment facilities to the children who have sustained injuries.

'Attack result of personal enmity'

Attock Deputy Commissioner Rao Atif Raza, in conversation with Geo News, said that the gun attack on the school van was a result of the driver’s personal enmity.

He added that a forest official and his friend were killed due to this enmity last month and the van driver — Afzaal — was attacked to avenge the murder.

The DC explained that the driver was injured in the attack, but the children were also attacked.

According to the DC, two girls —seated in the passenger seat with the driver — were killed in the attack, while the driver himself is injured.

He added that the police and administration are busy in search operation for the gunmen who fled the scene after indiscriminately targeting the van.

DC said that the report of the incident has been sent to the Rawalpindi commissioner.

President Asif Ali Zardari has condemned the "cruel" attack on children in Attock.

In a statement, the president said targeting innocent children is a very cruel and shameful act, directing authorities to take strict action against those responsible.

Condemning the unfortunate incident, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the attack on innocent children is extremely "cruel and barbaric".

He has directed the authorities to take strict action against those responsible.

Punjab Governor Saleem Haider Khan has also strongly condemned the targeting of the school van, expressing deep sorrow over the tragic deaths of the minors.

Describing the attack as "heartbreaking", the governor ordered authorities to swiftly investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.