March of ‘terror’: Pakistan grapples with deadly attacks on China interests
Al JazeeraMar 22
Pakistan: Two Children Killed in School Van Shooting
Above: Girl students look through the window in their classroom at Hathier High School in Mardan, Pakistan on March 31, 2009. Image copyright: Veronique de Viguerie/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Two girls died, and six others were injured Thursday after gunmen opened fire at a school van in Attock city in Pakistan's Punjab province.
The police said the gunmen had personal enmity with the van driver's family, and the driver was the primary target of the attack. A search has been launched to capture the attackers.
The Spin
Narrative A
Violence, particularly the terrorism-fueled, has profoundly impacted Pakistan's children over the decades, robbing them of a normal childhood. Besides causing countless deaths, it has displaced them and forced them into unstable, dangerous living conditions. This only compounds other social stressors on Pakistan's children like health risks, malnutrition, and psychological trauma — this demands a holistic response.
Narrative B
Thursday's tragic killing of two innocent children comes amid a surge in violent attacks in Pakistan, worsened by intensified political friction. Deteriorating dynamics between the military and the country's various militant groups are causing widespread societal instability. The security dynamics must first be addressed in order to protect the socially vulnerable — including women and children.