Khuzdar Bus Attack: India’s Proxy Terrorism Ongoing Threats to Pakistan’s Security

On May 21, 2025, the district of Khuzdar in Balochistan witnessed one of the most heartbreaking acts of terror in recent years. A suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a school bus carrying students from the Army Public School. The carnage left five dead including three innocent children and 38 others injured, many critically.The children, symbols of Pakistan’s hope and future, were targeted in an act of barbarism that reflects the evolving and brutal tactics of insurgent elements in the region.

The Attack: Brutality Against Innocence:

The attack occurred near Zero Point, a known transit area, at a time when the school bus was returning from classes. The explosion was so powerful that it dismembered the bus, scattering books, schoolbags, and the lifeless bodies of young students across the road. Emergency services rushed to the scene, but for many, it was already too late. Medical officials confirm that 8 of the wounded are in critical condition, raising fears of a higher death toll.

Historical Context: Previous Attacks on Children and Education in Pakistan:

This is not the first time Pakistan’s educational institutions have come under attack. There has been many incidents reveal a deliberate trend, terrorists are targeting educational institutions to cripple future generations, instill fear, and weaken public morale;

• APS Peshawar Massacre (2014): One of the deadliest attacks in Pakistan’s history, where 149 people, including 132 children, were slaughtered by Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in a military-run school.

• Quetta Police Training College Attack (2016): 61 cadets killed in a siege by ISIS-affiliated militants.

• Dir School Bombing (2020): A remote-controlled bomb killed at least 8 students and injured over 100.

India-Backed Terrorism, the Hidden Hand Behind the Attack:

Recent developments have confirmed Pakistan’s longstanding claims that India actively supports separatist and terrorist groups operating inside Balochistan to destabilize Pakistan’s security and territorial integrity.
In recent months, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) designated a terrorist organization by Pakistan, the U.S., and the U.K. publicly claimed responsibility for a string of attacks under the code name “Operation Sindoor,” aiming to increase violence and unrest in Balochistan.
Indian media outlets and nationalist anchors have shockingly justified and even glorified these attacks, reflecting tacit support for proxy terrorism.

Leaked intelligence reports and intercepted communications reveal India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW)’s involvement in training, funding, and arming these insurgent groups. This covert sponsorship is aimed at fracturing Pakistan internally, especially in resource-rich and strategically vital regions like Balochistan. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif explicitly stated in his condemnation of the Khuzdar attack that "terrorists working under Indian patronage" were behind this barbaric act, a charge supported by Pakistan’s military intelligence agencies.

▪︎ Symbolic Value: Schools represent knowledge, progress, and national unity. Attacks on children send a powerful psychological message intended to terrorize the entire population.

▪︎Undermining State Institutions: Many of the attacked schools are army-run or state-backed, making them symbolic of national authority.

▪︎Regional Destabilization via Proxy Warfare: Intelligence agencies and state officials have repeatedly warned that hostile foreign elements, particularly Indian-supported proxies, are attempting to destabilize Pakistan’s western belt through sustained insurgency in Balochistan.

▪︎Balochistan’s Geopolitical Sensitivity: Balochistan is central to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), making it a hotbed for external interference. Terrorist incidents often coincide with CPEC milestones or geopolitical tensions.

The Consequences, National and Regional Impacts:

1. Psychological Trauma:
The repeated targeting of children has instilled deep fear among students, parents, and educators. School attendance often declines sharply after such events.
2. Rise in Militancy:
Every successful attack emboldens insurgent groups and helps them recruit more fighters from vulnerable regions.
3. Socioeconomic Disruption:
Repeated violence affects investments, halts infrastructure projects, and discourages tourism and education further marginalizing already underdeveloped regions like Balochistan.
4. Diplomatic Fallout:
Pakistan has raised the issue of Indian-sponsored terrorism at the United Nations and with international allies. However, global condemnation remains tepid, revealing a troubling double standard in the global war on terror.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the attack “a strike against Pakistan’s soul.” The Interior Minister condemned the attackers as “inhuman beasts,” and the military linked the assault to India-backed terrorist outfits.
Yet public confidence remains fragile. Citizens demand:

A nationwide School Safety Action Plan.
Intelligence coordination among civil-military units.
Counter-radicalization programs in Balochistan.
Accountability for lapses that allow such attacks to occur despite prior intelligence warnings.

The Khuzdar school bus bombing should be a turning point. It is a stark reminder that terrorism is not defeated with complacency. It demands constant vigilance, robust policy execution, international diplomacy, and unity across political divides.

Children, the most innocent segment of our society, must never be the price we pay in our geopolitical battles. As a nation, we owe it to the martyrs of Khuzdar to ensure that schools are sanctuaries, not warzones. May justice be delivered swiftly. May Pakistan rise stronger, united, and more determined to protect every child within its borders.