A polio security team attacked in KP has left one policeman martyred and four others injured after armed assailants opened fire in Hangu on Monday. The team was deployed to protect a polio vaccination unit when the attack took place.
According to police officials, the incident happened in the Chapri Waziran area. A police van carrying five personnel came under sudden gunfire while escorting health workers involved in the anti-polio campaign. All officers were hit in the attack, but one later succumbed to his injuries.
The injured personnel were immediately shifted to a nearby medical facility for treatment. Security forces launched an investigation into the incident to identify the attackers and determine the motive behind the assault on the polio security team attacked in KP.
The attack comes at a time when Pakistan has launched its second National Immunisation Days campaign of 2026. The nationwide drive aims to vaccinate more than 45 million children under the age of five in an effort to eliminate polio from the country.
Health authorities confirmed that the campaign is part of Pakistan’s continued push toward polio eradication. However, efforts remain challenging due to repeated security threats faced by frontline workers and their escorts.
Officials said the first wild polio case of 2026 was recently reported in Sindh, highlighting that the virus still exists in some regions despite years of vaccination efforts. The ongoing campaign focuses on high-risk areas, including parts of Sindh and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The incident in Hangu reflects a long-standing threat faced by vaccination teams in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the only two countries where polio remains endemic. Over the years, many health workers and security personnel have lost their lives while carrying out immunisation duties.
Authorities stressed that polio is a dangerous but preventable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. Vaccination remains the only effective protection, and campaigns continue across the country despite security challenges.
Officials and health experts have urged communities, religious leaders, and parents to support vaccination efforts. They emphasized that cooperation is essential to ensure every child receives protection against polio.
Despite repeated attacks, Pakistan continues to make progress in reducing polio cases. However, the latest polio security team attacked in KP incident shows that security remains a key challenge in achieving complete eradication.
