Tragic Attack: Police Officer Killed Guarding Polio Vaccination Team Amid National Campaign Launch

ISLAMABAD – In a tragic incident on Tuesday, suspected militants ambushed a vehicle carrying police officers tasked with safeguarding polio workers in northwestern Pakistan. The attack, which occurred in Hangu, left one officer dead and four others injured, according to police reports. During a subsequent exchange of gunfire, two attackers were killed.

The assault took place shortly after Pakistan commenced its second nationwide anti-polio campaign of the year. Hangu is located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. Local police official Mahmood Alam provided details on the incident.

While no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, it is suspected that the Pakistani Taliban or other militant factions might be involved. Such groups frequently perpetrate similar attacks in the region. The World Health Organization notes that Pakistan and Afghanistan are the last two countries where polio has not been fully eradicated.

Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, the first lady, has urged families to ensure their young children are vaccinated during this crucial weeklong campaign. The initiative seeks to immunize over 45 million children under the age of five across all provinces and regions. This effort is being coordinated with Afghanistan, emphasizing a joint commitment to halt cross-border transmission and address existing gaps in vaccination coverage.

Aseefa, who is the daughter of President Asif Ali Zardari and the late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, has been vocal about continuing her mother’s legacy in the fight against polio. Benazir Bhutto, assassinated in a 2007 militant attack, had actively promoted polio eradication during her tenure. Highlighting the critical juncture Pakistan faces in combating polio, Aseefa stated, “The country is closer than ever to eradication, yet the final stretch remains the most challenging.”

Highlighting recent gains, she said 31 polio cases were reported nationwide in 2025, while only one case has so far been recorded so far this year, but warned against complacency.

Pakistan’s polio eradication program has been running anti-polio campaigns for years, though health workers and the police assigned to protect them are often targeted by militants who falsely claim the vaccination campaigns are a Western conspiracy to sterilize children.

Authorities have deployed thousands of police officers to protect workers following intelligence warnings of possible attacks. More than 200 polio workers and the police assigned to guard them have been killed in Pakistan since the 1990s, according to officials.

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Riaz Khan and Rasool Dawar contributed to this story from Peshawar, Pakistan.