Two policemen guarding people getting vaccinated against polio died in KP

Gunmen murdered two policemen protecting a polio vaccination team in Upper Orakzai, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and three attackers were also killed in retaliatory fire by security forces.

Upper Orakzai Police Sub-Divisional Officer (SDPO) Muhammad Rahim said the incident occurred in Dabori Badan area where armed men opened fire on police personnel escorting vaccinators.

One of the policemen, Sayyed Hameed, died on the spot, while the other was taken to Orakzai Headquarters Hospital. However, injured policeman Muzammil also succumbed to his wounds during treatment.

In a quick response to the attack, the Border Corps cordoned off the area and launched a search operation.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Muhammad Raheem later confirmed that three terrorists were killed and one militant injured in the retaliatory firing on FC personnel.

President Asif Ali Zardari in a statement condemned the armed attack on the polio vaccination team, expressing regret over the martyrdom of police officers.

“The police bravely faced the attackers and murdered three terrorists, for which they deserve recognition,” he said in a statement.

Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured cops, the president vowed to continue all efforts to eradicate the polio virus from across the country.

Reacting to the incident, Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack on the police and paid tribute to the murdered workers.

“The attack on the polio eradication team is an attack on Pakistan’s secure future,” he said.

It may be noted that following the recent surge in cases of the paralytic disease, the government has launched separate polio vaccination drives across the country.

Pakistan reported its 41st case of the year in which a 42-month-old girl was crippled by wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in Balochistan, the epicenter of the epidemic.

The southwestern province is emerging as an area of ​​intense polio transmission this year with 21 of the country’s 41 cases. The breakdown of the remaining cases is Sindh (12), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (six) and one each in Punjab and Islamabad.

The current campaign, led by the Pakistan Polio Program to vaccinate over 45 million children under five years of age, began yesterday (Monday).

Officials emphasize the importance of full participation because incomplete vaccination coverage puts communities at risk of continued spread and resurgence of polio.

Since the program began in 1994, the polio eradication program has largely contained the virus, and Pakistan came close to eradicating the disease completely until this year, as just six cases were reported in 2023.

It is, along with Afghanistan, one of two countries where polio is still endemic in the world, and authorities are calling on parents to actively participate in the ongoing nationwide polio vaccination campaign.

Polio is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that mainly affects children under five years of age who are malnourished or have weak immunity due to inadequate or no vaccinations against polio and other childhood diseases.

The disease attacks the nervous system and causes paralysis and even death. Although there is no cure for polio, vaccination is the most effective way to protect children against this devastating disease.

Pakistan’s rigorous polio eradication efforts face significant challenges, especially in areas where insecurity, misinformation and parental refusal hamper vaccination campaigns.