A police constable lost his life, and four others sustained injuries while en route to safeguard polio teams in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu district. The tragic incident occurred in Thall tehsil of Hangu on the first day of the vaccination campaign set for April 13-19. Unidentified attackers ambushed the police party, leading to the death of one officer and injuries to four more, as per reports from Pakistan’s leading daily Dawn.
The injured officers were promptly taken to the hospital for medical attention. Subsequently, a search operation was launched in the area to apprehend the perpetrators. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only countries worldwide where Wild Poliovirus remains prevalent. Polio workers in Pakistan have frequently faced attacks, especially in regions like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
In a separate incident in February, assailants targeted a police vaccination team in Chaman district of Balochistan, resulting in the death of a police officer. Similarly, in Lahore, polio teams encountered resistance from parents who refused to allow the administration of polio drops to their children. The suspects in Harbanspura area not only prevented the polio team from carrying out their duties but also assaulted the health workers, as reported by Dawn.
According to the FIR, the suspects not only attacked the polio workers but also called for reinforcements who further mistreated the workers. The police intervened after the workers sought help through a helpline. The suspects then turned their aggression towards the police personnel, leading to the filing of a case against them. Likewise, cases were registered against parents in Shahdara for allegedly harassing female polio workers during a vaccination drive.
Since 2012, a total of 96 individuals have lost their lives in attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including 61 police officers, 7 health workers, and 5 civilians, according to official records. Additionally, 170 people, comprising 124 police officers, 28 health workers, and 21 civilians, have been wounded in assaults on polio teams. Over the years, 32 health workers, 3 civilians, and 1 police officer were abducted during vaccination campaigns.
