A team conducting a validation survey for a polio vaccination campaign in Tangir, an additional district of Diamer, Gilgit-Baltistan, was attacked and threatened by armed assailants on Sunday, according to media reports.
The incident, which officials say was linked to the presence of female team members, occurred as the team was returning after completing its assigned fieldwork.
As per the First Information Report (FIR) lodged at the Jaglot Police Station, the team had been working in the area for two days, verifying vaccination coverage.
Upon their return via Ric Bridge at around 2:45 pm, two armed individuals intercepted their vehicle, issuing verbal threats and accusing the team of disturbing the region's cultural environment by bringing "unveiled women from Gilgit."
One of the attackers reportedly fired at the vehicle, damaging one of its tyres before both suspects fled towards nearby mountains.
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G-B government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq clarified that the attack was not linked to opposition to the polio campaign itself, but rather to the public presence of female team members.
“The polio team had entered Tangir without prior coordination. Ideally, the team should have informed the district administration and police,” he said.
All team members, including Zonal Trainer Bilal, health worker Kainat Hussain, and drivers Adnan, Iqbal, and Muhammad Hussain, were unharmed. They were swiftly moved to a safe location following the attack, according to reports.
G-B Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan has directed the police to take immediate action in apprehending the unidentified attackers. Faraq reassured that the polio vaccination campaign would continue as planned, with additional security measures to protect health workers in sensitive areas.
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Earlier, the first case of wild poliovirus was reported in Diamer. The case, verified by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), is the eleventh confirmed case of wild poliovirus in the country so far in 2025.
Last week, a police constable was martyred and another officer injured when unidentified assailants opened fire on a polio vaccination team in Nushki, Balochistan. The team was conducting routine immunisation work when the attack occurred.
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