Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday condemned a deadly attack on a polio vaccination team in Nushki, Balochistan.
A police constable assigned to guard the team was martyred, and another policeman was injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire. The attack took place on Tuesday as the team was carrying out routine vaccination work in the area.
President Zardari expressed deep concern over the incident and paid tribute to polio workers who risk their lives to protect children across the country.
In a message tied to the ongoing nationwide anti-polio campaign, Zardari noted that cases of the crippling disease have dropped by over 90 percent due to consistent vaccination efforts, monitoring, and the bravery of health teams.
However, he warned that the fight against polio is not yet over and called for continued support for eradication efforts.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the attack and offered condolences to the family of the slain worker. He vowed that those responsible would face strict action and reaffirmed his government's commitment to protecting polio teams from militant threats.
Polio teams in Pakistan have frequently been targeted in deadly attacks, particularly in remote or conflict-affected areas, making the country one of only two where polio remains endemic.
Pakistan has recorded 10 polio cases so far in 2025, official figures show.
Meanwhile two polio workers were abducted by armed men on in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Tank district, during an ongoing anti-polio campaign on Monday.
The incident occurred in the Jandola tribal subdivision. The victims were identified as Sifatullah, a COMNet staff member, and Hizbullah, a volunteer. Both were performing vaccination duties at the time of the abduction.
Pakistan launches third nationwide polio drive of 2025
Pakistan’s Polio Programme launched its third National Immunisation Days (NIDs) campaign of the year on Sunday at the National Emergency Operations Centre in Islamabad.
The campaign was inaugurated by Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication, along with key programme officials and partner organisations.
To mark the launch, Ayesha Raza Farooq administered oral polio vaccine and Vitamin A drops to children under five, reaffirming the government’s commitment to wiping out polio.
The weeklong drive began on May 26 and aims to vaccinate over 45 million children under the age of five.
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