Pakistan, Oct. 15 -- An eight-year-old left his primary school during recess in Rukanpur, near Mailsi, to drink water at a neighbouring house. He never returned. According to police, the man inside attempted to sexually assault him and shot him when he resisted and shouted for help. The suspect remained at large when the case was reported on Wednesday. Such haunting circumstances demand an investigation extending beyond the search for the gunman.

Vehari's deputy commissioner has ordered an inquiry, which must also establish how the school supervises children during recess and why a pupil of eight could leave the premises so easily. Parents entrust their children to educational institutions with a reasonable expectation of safety. The inq...