A suicide attacker targeted a military school bus in Khuzdar district of Pakistan’s volatile Balochistan province on Wednesday, killing at least five people including three children, the army confirmed. The blast injured several more among the roughly 40 students on board the bus, which was en route to an army-run educational facility.

District administrator Yasir Iqbal stated that multiple students sustained injuries in the targeted assault. The Pakistani military and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing and swiftly accused Indian intelligence proxies of orchestrating the attack—though no evidence has been publicly presented.

Regional Tensions Fuel Security Fears

The deadly incident comes amid heightened tensions between nuclear-armed rivals Pakistan and India. Just 11 days earlier, the two countries agreed to a fragile ceasefire following their most intense military confrontation in decades. Analysts had warned that the situation could spiral quickly, especially with both sides accusing each other of harboring militant proxies.

Islamabad claims the attack is part of a broader pattern of cross-border terrorism. India has not yet responded to the allegations.

Balochistan’s History of Insurgency and Militancy

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated province, has long been plagued by separatist violence and militant insurgencies. No group has claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s bombing, but officials noted similarities to previous attacks—including the 2014 school massacre in Peshawar carried out by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

In March, the Baloch Liberation Army killed 31 civilians after derailing a train and taking hostages, further underlining the deteriorating security situation in the province.