Two Students Killed in Nushki Girls’ College Attack, CM Says

Two female students wounded in an armed attack on the Government Girls’ Degree College in Nushki have died from their injuries, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti announced on Wednesday. Bugti attributed the assault to the banned Balochistan Liberation Army while condemning the targeting of students at an educational institution.

Initial accounts said four masked gunmen reached the college on two motorcycles. The attackers allegedly damaged two surveillance cameras, vandalised the principal’s office and threatened students before opening fire. Three students were injured and transported to hospitals for treatment following the shooting.

The chief minister said two of the injured students subsequently died. No detailed medical update was immediately provided about the third student’s condition. Authorities have also not announced any arrests, while the identities of the attackers and the precise sequence of events remain subjects of the continuing investigation.

Addressing a news conference in Quetta, Bugti questioned the purpose of attacking unarmed girls and accused the perpetrators of trying to prevent young people from receiving an education. He said violence against female students conflicted with Baloch traditions and pledged that those responsible would be pursued and brought to justice.

The chief minister insisted that the provincial government would not respond to militant threats by closing schools, colleges or universities. He said educational institutions would remain open and that the government would continue working to provide education and employment opportunities to young people across the province.

Bugti also announced plans for a sports gala commemorating the students killed in the attack. He portrayed the event as part of the government’s determination to preserve normal civic and educational life rather than allow violence to intimidate communities or discourage families from sending their children to school.

The latest casualty update follows earlier provincial directives to strengthen security at educational institutions, particularly girls’ colleges in the Rakhshan Division. Officials had sought a detailed report on the attack and ordered law-enforcement agencies to trace the assailants. The effectiveness of campus security and the attackers’ ability to damage surveillance equipment are likely to receive close scrutiny during the investigation.

An attack on a girls’ college carries consequences extending beyond the immediate casualties. Fear among students, parents and teachers can disrupt attendance and deepen barriers to female education in areas where access is already difficult. Maintaining secure campuses will therefore be central to preventing the assault from achieving the wider objective of intimidating students and communities.

Bugti said negotiations remained possible for those willing to operate within Pakistan’s Constitution and legal framework, while ruling out tolerance for attacks on children and students. The next steps will depend on the police investigation, any forensic or surveillance evidence recovered from the college and the provincial government’s implementation of its promised security measures.