Polio worker, cop escorting vaccinators killed in KP on first day of nationwide drive

PESHAWAR: As government makes strenuous efforts to prevent the spread of poliovirus, the ongoing nationwide inoculation campaign was met with gun attacks leaving two dead in multiple attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the first day of the vaccination drive.

In Karak, a polio team was targetted by unknown gunmen in the Shakar Khel area of Banda Daud Shah tehsil. The attack resulted in the martyrdom of a policeman escorting the vaccinators and injured one polio worker, said the police.

Meanwhile, a polio worker was gunned down in a separate incident in Bannu's Kala Khel Masti Khan area while he was on his way to work.

Noting that the suspects fled after the incident, the police said that the victim was involved in an old enmity and that further investigation was underway.

Condemning the Karak incident, President Asif Ali Zardari expressed sorrow over the policeman's martyrdom.

Terming the terrorists as enemies of the country and its future, President Zardari said that they didn't wish to see the people of Pakistan healthy and prosperous.

Furthermore, the president also requested the masses to take part in the polio vaccination campaign.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while issuing directions for immediate provision of medical assistance to the injured, expressed concern about the attack on polio workers who were working for the eradication of the crippling disease.

Noting that such incidents cannot demoralise them, the premier said the government would use all its resources to curb poliovirus and protect health workers.

Reacting to the development, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi termed the attack on the polio team in Karak "extremely regrettable" and expressed grief on the martyrdom of the policeman.

Seeking a report on the attack, the governor further issued directions for the provision of all possible treatment facilities to the wounded polio worker.

Taking to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, First Lady and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari condemned the attacks targeting polio workers.

"Strongly condemn the attacks on polio teams in Karak and Bannu. These cowardly acts against healthcare workers and security personnel are trying to undermine efforts to protect our children," she said while calling for authorities to take due action.

"Violence won’t deter the fight against polio," she added.

Aseefa further urged the people to accept the vaccine, and raise awareness amongst their friends, family and neighbours.

The incidents come amidst the ongoing countrywide polio vaccination campaign — aiming to inoculate around 44 million children — launched by the government to prevent the spread of the crippling disease which has affected 63 children in the country so far.

Attacks on polio workers, though unfortunate, are not uncommon as terrorists have time again targeted vaccination teams over the years.

Last month, at least nine people, including five schoolchildren and a policeman, were killed in an explosion targeting security personnel guarding polio vaccinators in Balochistan's Mastung district.

The security challenges coupled with various other factors eventually affect the authorities' efforts to prevent the spread of the polio virus.

Pakistan is one of the two remaining polio-endemic countries in the world, along with Afghanistan, and the number of cases on a yearly basis had significantly dropped in the country, until the recent spike in cases.

The country's rigorous efforts towards polio eradication face significant challenges, particularly in areas where insecurity, misinformation, and parental refusals hinder vaccination campaigns.

With over 60% of children affected by polio in 2024 having not received routine immunisation, health authorities established a high-level committee to improve coordination between the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) and the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI).

Balochistan remains the most affected province during the recent spike in the spread of disease with 26 cases reported so far this year.