PESHAWAR: A police constable was martyred and four others were injured in an attack on a law enforcement party en route to provide security for polio teams in Hangu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday.
The incident took place in Hangu’s Thall tehsil on the first day of a nationwide vaccination campaign taking place from April 13 to 19.
In a statement, the Hangu District Police said “terrorists opened sudden fire on a police party”, resulting in the martyrdom of a policeman and injuries to four others.
The injured police personnel were immediately taken to a hospital.
The police team retaliated immediately, with “reports of two terrorists’ deaths as a result”, Kohat Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Irfan Tariq was quoted as saying.
However, terrorists took their accomplices’ bodies from the scene.
According to the police statement, DIG Tariq commended the personnel’s bravery in “thwarting the terrorists’ attack”. He asserted that the assailants would not be forgiven under any circumstances.
Following the incident, a search operation was launched in the area, with security forces busy tracing the terrorists.
“On the other hand, officials said the ongoing polio campaign in Hangu will continue as usual, and the terrorists cannot demoralise the nation,” Hangu Police said.
Polio vaccinators, who go door-to-door to inoculate children, are frequently targeted by militants, especially in KP and Balochistan.
According to officials, at least five policemen and two civilians had been killed while three police officials had suffered injuries in KP in 2025. They also said 17 health workers were kidnapped during vaccination campaigns.
On December 16, a day after 2025’s last polio drive was initiated, a constable and a passerby were killed after unidentified assailants attacked a polio team in KP’s Bajaur.
Pakistan is one of the last two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic. Challenges such as security issues, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation have slowed the progress of eradication efforts.
