Polio vaccination teams attacked in K-P's Karak and Bannu, cop killed

A police constable was killed, and a polio worker was injured when unknown militants opened fire on a vaccination team in Tehsil Banda Daud Shah of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province's Karak district.

The police officer had been assigned to provide security for the team. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation in the region in response to the attack.

Meanwhile another polio vaccination team came under attack in K-P's Bannu district. Further details of casualties from the second incident were not confirmed.

The ongoing battle against polio in Pakistan has been marred by a series of attacks on polio vaccination teams, resulting in the tragic deaths of police officers and injuries to workers.

Meanwhile, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi denounced the attacks, labelling them as an assault on Pakistan's future. He paid tribute to the fallen officers, stressing that protecting polio workers is essential for the country’s future health.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also demanded an immediate report on the situation from the Governor of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, emphasising the need for better security measures for polio teams.

PPP MNA Asifa Bhutto Zardari strongly condemned the violence on social media, calling such acts cowardly and counterproductive to efforts to protect children from polio.

She urged the government to take immediate action and reaffirmed the determination to continue the fight against polio despite the violence.

The polio vaccination campaign, which began on December 16 and runs until December 22, has encountered multiple disruptions. 

The campaign is being conducted with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Led by Dr. Ayesha Raza Farooq and Dr. Bharat, the campaign will mobilize over 400,000 workers across 143 districts to ensure that no child is left unvaccinated.