A police officer lost his life on Monday while on his way to provide security for polio vaccination teams in Jamrud town, located in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The officer, identified as Constable Abdul Khaliq, was reportedly attacked by two individuals on a motorcycle who opened fire on him, as per report. He was rushed to the hospital for urgent medical care but could not survive his injuries.
Upon receiving information about the attack, a heavy police force arrived at the scene, sealed off the area, and launched a search operation to track down the attackers.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif officially launched the year’s first nationwide anti-polio drive on Sunday, set to run from February 3 to 9.
He administered polio drops to children under five and reaffirmed his commitment to eliminating the disease from Pakistan.
At the event, he emphasized his determination to remove polio: “The national polio vaccination drive would target millions of children to save their future and health.”
He praised the dedication of vaccination teams, expressing confidence in their efforts to work tirelessly and reach remote villages and underserved communities.
A few days earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged Pakistan for reducing polio cases by over 99% since 1994 and repeated its commitment to assisting the country in eliminating the disease completely.
Despite this progress, polio remains a concern in certain volatile regions, where outbreaks have re-emerged.
During a key forum in Islamabad, the Technical Advisory Group for Polio Eradication—WHO officials commended Pakistan’s efforts and assured continued support in “running the last mile” to eradicate polio once and for all.