A Christian school for missionary children in Pakistan is evaluating its future after a band of masked gunmen stormed the compound Aug. 5, killing six adults but leaving the 150 students unharmed.
The Murree Christian School, located in the Himalayan foothills about 30 miles north of Islamabad, canceled classes for at least 24 hours and set up counseling teams for students and staff.
“It is a matter of thanks to God that the students were not injured in any way and that no expatriate staff were injured,” a statement on the school’s Web site said.
Killed in the attack were six Pakistanis who worked at the school, including two security guards, a cook, a receptionist, a carpenter and a bystander. One visiting missionary from the Philippines was shot in the hand.
Soon after the attack began, school officials locked the doors and ordered the children to lie silently under their desks.
Just weeks ago, the school had revised its security and reinforced some of its doors.
Various news reports said the gunmen tried to kick down the locked doors but soon moved on when they could not break through.
Zia-ul-Hassan Butt, the head of the security firm hired to protect the school, told The New York Times that the gunmen moved through the compound methodically and had probably cased the area prior to the attack.
The rampage was the sixth attack in Pakistan against Westerners or Western interests this year.
The school is home to about 150 missionary children from 20 nations and 35 teachers and boarding staff. It was founded in 1956 and is now independent, although the land is owned by the Presbyterian Church (USA).
(RNS)
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