Unidentified gunmen Wednesday killed two police officials escorting a team of polio health workers in Mardan city of Pakistan’s northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Reports said that the cops were returning after security duty with the team when they were targeted apparently to disrupt the polio drive in the area.
The deceased policemen have been identified as Syed Ali Raza and Shakir while their bodies have been shifted to Mardan Hospital.
A heavy contingent of security forces has cordoned off the area while a search has been launched to apprehend the perpetrators.
This is not the first incident in which security officials have been targeted during the vaccination campaign.
In January, a policeman was shot dead when a team of anti-polio vaccinators came under attack in Karak. The health workers however remained safe in the incident.
On Monday, Prime Minister Imran Khan launched the National Anti-Polio drive with a goal to rid the country of crippling disease.
The prime minister administered drops of anti-polio vaccine to children aging below five years, at his Office.
The federal government has chalked out a comprehensive national emergency programme against polio, which is being carried out across the country in joint collaboration with the provinces.
Read more: https://pakobserver.net/polio-eradication-drive-in-full-swing/
