ISLAMABAD (AP) – In a violent incident in northwestern Pakistan, suspected militants opened fire on a vehicle carrying police officers assigned to protect polio workers on Tuesday, resulting in the death of one officer and injuring four others. The attackers fled the scene after the assault, which took place in the Hangu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a region that shares a border with Afghanistan. In a retaliatory action, police shot and killed two of the attackers.
The shooting occurred shortly after Pakistan initiated its second nationwide anti-polio campaign of the year, as reported by local police official Mahmood Alam. While no group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, it is believed to be linked to the Pakistani Taliban and local militant factions, which frequently engage in similar assaults to undermine public health efforts in the region. According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only countries in the world where polio has not yet been eradicated.
First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari is actively promoting the polio vaccination campaign, urging families to ensure their children are vaccinated as part of a weeklong initiative aimed at reaching over 45 million children under the age of five across all provinces. The campaign is being carried out in coordination with Afghanistan, demonstrating a mutual commitment to halting cross-border transmission of the virus and closing existing gaps in vaccination coverage.
Aseefa, the daughter of former President Asif Ali Zardari and the late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in 2007 by militants, emphasized the importance of this moment in the fight against polio. She stated, "Pakistan stands at a crucial moment in the fight against polio." While there have been notable advances in the country's vaccination efforts, she cautioned that the remaining challenges are the most formidable. In 2025, 31 polio cases were reported nationwide; however, only one case has been recorded thus far in the current year.
Pakistan's polio eradication initiatives have faced persistent threats from militant groups that falsely portray vaccination campaigns as Western plots to sterilize children. Authorities have responded by deploying thousands of police officers to provide security for health workers involved in the vaccination drives, especially following intelligence reports warning of potential attacks. Since the 1990s, more than 200 polio workers and the police officers protecting them have lost their lives due to such violence, as noted by officials.
In response to rising violence against health workers, the commitment to the polio eradication program remains critically important, underscoring the necessity of safety for those engaged in this essential public health work despite ongoing threats from extremist groups. The importance of continued efforts to eradicate polio is highlighted by the context of significant historical losses and the personal commitment of individuals like Aseefa Bhutto, who championed vaccination efforts during her mother’s tenure as Prime Minister.
