A police officer was martyred and four others injured on Monday when gunmen opened fire on personnel deployed to protect polio vaccination teams in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Hangu, police confirmed to The Express Tribune. According to police spokesperson Saqib Bangash, the attack occurred near Chapri Waziran within the jurisdiction of Thall Police Station. The martyred officer was identified as Israrul Haq, a resident of Shangla, who was undergoing an intermediate-level Police Training Course (PTC). Kohat Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Irfan Tariq said police responded swiftly and engaged the attackers in a retaliatory operation, claiming two attackers were killed. However, other assailants managed to flee. A search operation is underway in the area, and action will be taken against those involved, the DIG added. He commended the personnel for their bravery in repelling the attack, vowing that the militants would not be spared under any circumstances. The injured personnel were shifted to a hospital in Hangu, where they are receiving treatment. K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the attack and sought a report from the DIG. In a statement, he described the targeting of personnel performing national duty as a “cowardly act,” adding that terrorists would not succeed in their malicious designs. “We share the grief of the family of the martyred officer and will provide all possible support,” he said, directing authorities to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured. Read: First Lady Aseefa urges cooperation ahead of nationwide polio campaign's rollout K-P Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also condemned the attack, reiterating his stance against militancy. He said, “Those who target police personnel deployed for the security of polio teams deserve no leniency. The terrorists attacking polio teams are enemies of the safe future of our children.” The incident comes as a week-long anti-polio campaign began nationwide on Monday, aiming to vaccinate over 45 million children under the age of five. Polio workers, who conduct door-to-door immunisation drives, have frequently been targeted by militants, particularly in K-P and Balochistan. In 2024 alone, at least 20 people were killed and 53 injured during anti-polio operations in the province. The National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication confirmed Pakistan’s first wild poliovirus case of 2026 on March 5, detected in a four-year-old child from Sujawal district in Sindh. Despite significant progress, Pakistan remains one of the few countries where polio continues to pose a threat, with health authorities stressing that sustained vigilance and public cooperation are critical to halting transmission. Earlier this year, reports indicated that around one million children were missed during the first nationwide polio campaign. Karachi recorded the highest number of refusals, accounting for 58 per cent of the 53,000 cases reported nationwide. The campaign concluded on February 5 in most parts of the country, while continuing until February 8 in Sindh.
from Latest News, Breaking News & Top News Stories | The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/lxg2iSO
0 Comments