DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Two children were killed in a mortar shell blast in Raghzai village of Tank district on Tuesday, Rescue 1122 said.

Both the bodies were shifted to a hospital for medico-legal formalities. The deceased were identified as Arafat and Shoaib, both six years of age. They were on their way to a nearby seminary when they were struck by the mortar.

Following the incident, the grieving families and residents of the area staged a protest by blocking the Tank-South Waziristan Road, demanding immediate identification and action against those responsible.

The road was later reopened after assurances from the district administration and police officials that the culprits would be traced and arrested.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman strongly condemned the incident, calling it both tragic and deeply concerning.

In his statement, he said: “Neither children, nor women, nor the elderly are safe in this country. The blood of ordinary citizens has become the cheapest commodity in the state.”

He alleged that JUI-F leaders and workers were being systematically targeted, adding that the state, which is supposed to protect the lives and property of its citizens, has ‘instead become a threat to them’.

Mr Rehman expressed his solidarity with the bereaved family and prayed that Allah grants the innocent children an elevated place in the hereafter.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2025