CM Afridi, Governor Kundi condemns the attack calling it a cowardly act promising full support and best medical care
DERA ISMAIL KHAN:
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. Express Pakinomist.
According to police spokesperson Saqib Bangash, the attack took place 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 Police Training Course (PTC).
Kohat Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Irfan Tariq said the police responded quickly and engaged the attackers in a retaliatory action, claiming that two attackers were killed. However, other assailants managed to escape.
A search operation is underway in the area and action will be taken against those involved, DIG added. He praised the personnel for their bravery in repelling the attack and promised that the militants would not be spared under any circumstances.
The injured personnel were moved to a hospital in Hangu, where they are receiving treatment.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the attack and sought a report from DIG. In a statement, he described the targeting of personnel performing national duties 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 and directed the authorities to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured.
Read: First Lady Aseefa calls for cooperation ahead of the rollout of the nationwide polio campaign
KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also condemned the attack and reiterated his stand against militancy. He said: “Those who target policemen deployed for the security of polio teams deserve no leniency. The terrorists who attack polio teams are enemies of our children’s secure future.”
The incident comes as a week-long anti-polio campaign that started nationwide on Monday aims to vaccinate over 45 million children under the age of five. Polio workers who carry out door-to-door vaccination have often been targeted by militants, especially in KP 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 Center 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 remains a threat, with health officials stressing that continued vigilance and public cooperation are essential to halt transmission.
Earlier this year, reports indicated that about one million children were missed during the first nationwide polio campaign.
Karachi recorded the highest number of refusals, accounting for 58 percent of the 53,000 cases reported nationwide. The campaign ended on February 5 in most parts of the country, while it continued until February 8 in Sindh.
