CM Afridi and Governor Kundi condemn the attack, calling it a cowardly act and promising full support and best medical care.
DERA ISMAIL KHAN:
A police officer was killed and four others injured on Monday when gunmen opened fire on staff deployed to protect polio vaccination teams in Hangu in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, police confirmed to The express PAkGazette.
According to police spokesperson Saqib Bangash, the attack occurred 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 level Police Training Course (PTC).
Kohat Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Irfan Tariq said the police responded quickly and engaged the attackers in a retaliatory operation, claiming that two attackers were killed. However, other attackers managed to escape.
A search operation is underway in the area and action will be taken against those involved, the DIG added. He praised the personnel for their bravery in repelling the attack and promised that the militants will not be spared under any circumstances.
The injured were taken to a hospital in Hangu, where they are receiving treatment.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the attack and sought a report from the DIG. In a statement, he described the attack on personnel performing national duties as a “cowardly act,” adding that the terrorists would not succeed in their malicious designs.
“We share the pain of the family of the martyred officer and will provide all possible support,” he said, ordering authorities to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured.
Read: First Lady Aseefa urges cooperation ahead of launch of national anti-polio campaign
KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also condemned the attack and reiterated his stance against militancy. He said: “Those who attack police personnel deployed for the security of anti-polio teams do not deserve leniency. Terrorists who attack anti-polio teams are enemies of the secure future of our children.”
The incident comes as a week-long anti-polio campaign began nationwide on Monday, with the goal of vaccinating more than 45 million children under five. Anti-polio workers, who carry out door-to-door immunization drives, have frequently been attacked by militants, particularly 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 the first case of wild poliovirus in Pakistan in 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, and health authorities stress that sustained surveillance and public cooperation are critical to stopping transmission.
Earlier this year, reports indicated that around one million children did not participate in the first national polio campaign.
Karachi recorded the highest number of denials, accounting for 58 percent of the 53,000 cases reported nationwide. The campaign concluded on February 5 in most parts of the country, and continued until February 8 in Sindh.
