QUETTA:
Two police officers providing security to a polio vaccination team were killed after unidentified armed men opened fire in Noshki district of Balochistan, officials said on Tuesday.
The incident came as a week-long sub-national polio vaccination campaign was underway in 115 districts across Pakistan. More than 31 million children under the age of five were due to receive polio drops during the campaign, with activities focused on high-risk and hotspot areas in Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh.
The attack took place in Killi Jamalabad, where police personnel had been deployed to protect the vaccination team. The two officers were identified as Muhammad Yasar and Abdul Rauf.
The attackers fled with the officers’ official weapons after the shooting, officials said. Police subsequently cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to arrest those responsible.
Balochistan Special Assistant on Home Affairs Babar Yousafzai confirmed the incident and condemned the attack, blaming Fitna al-Hindustan for the deaths.
“Fitna al-Hindustan opened fire on two police personnel deployed to protect a polio team in Nushki and martyred them,” Yousafzai said.
He said the attack on a polio team was effectively an attack on the future of children in Balochistan. “They do not want the children of Balochistan to move towards a healthy and secure future,” he said.
Yousafzai said polio was a dangerous disease that could cause permanent disability in children, while vaccination was an effective means of preventing it. “Those who target polio teams are, in fact, trying to deprive the children of Balochistan of their right to health and a secure future,” he said.
“Polio workers are going from door to door to protect our children from disease, and their security is the shared responsibility of the state and society. Children in Balochistan need education, health, peace and a bright future, not terrorism and disease,” he added.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the firing and expressed grief over the deaths of constables Muhammad Yasar and Abdul Rauf.
Naqvi paid tribute to the two officers and offered condolences to their families. “Constables Yasar and Abdul Rauf attained the great rank of martyrdom while performing their duties,” Naqvi said.
“Attacking a team working to secure the future of children is a heinous and unforgivable act by brutal elements. The beasts who attacked the anti-polio team deserve an exemplary punishment,” Naqvi added.
It is pertinent to note that polio vaccination teams have been targeted in the past, including incidents reported in Quetta and several other districts of Balochistan, highlighting the persistent security challenges faced by frontline health workers and their protectors.
Despite these threats, authorities have reiterated their commitment to continuing the anti-polio campaign and ensuring the safety of vaccination teams through enhanced security measures.
