Maps
Magazine

CRIME

Polio Team Guard Martyred in Noshki as Pakistan Vows to Continue Eradication Efforts
Polio team guard shot dead in Noshki, Balochistan. Leaders condemn the attack as a cowardly bid to sabotage Pakistan’s polio drive. Campaign to continue despite threats.
ND
by News Desk
2025-05-27
Polio Team Guard Martyred in Noshki as Pakistan Vows to Continue Eradication Efforts

A policeman assigned to protect a polio vaccination team was gunned down by unidentified attackers in the Killi Muhammad Hassni area of Balochistan’s Noshki district on Tuesday. The incident marks yet another tragic attempt to sabotage Pakistan’s polio eradication drive, one of the last remaining in the world.

Noshki Deputy Commissioner Amjad Hussain Soomro confirmed the incident, identifying the slain officer as Waheed Ahmed, a resident of Jalalabad, Noshki. In the aftermath of the attack, security forces have set up checkpoints across the region in a bid to capture the culprits.

Despite the violence, Soomro assured that the anti-polio campaign in the district would continue as planned. “This is a national cause. The teams will complete their targets,” he stated, adding that security for polio workers has been further reinforced.

The attack comes amid a broader resurgence of threats to polio teams in the region. Just a day earlier, two polio workers were abducted at gunpoint in Tank district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while administering vaccines during the national campaign launched on Sunday.

Pakistan, alongside Afghanistan, remains one of only two countries where polio is still endemic. Militant groups have long opposed polio vaccination efforts, falsely linking them to Western conspiracies and targeting teams and their security escorts.

Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind condemned the attack, describing it as a deliberate attempt to spread fear and derail a vital public health effort. “The polio campaign is a national duty. Any attack on it is intolerable,” he said. He paid tribute to the slain officer who “sacrificed himself while on duty.”

President Asif Ali Zardari also condemned the attack and offered condolences to the bereaved family. In a statement, he praised the bravery of polio workers and security personnel:

“The courage and sacrifice of polio officials inspire us all to save our children from this crippling disease.”

Zardari reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to eradicating polio, urging parents to cooperate with vaccinators and calling on media, religious leaders, and educators to support the effort. He also praised the work of his daughter, Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, for her “tireless advocacy” in the fight against polio.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed similar sentiments, condemning the incident and assuring that “strict action will be taken against militant elements” threatening the national cause.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated that any attack on those securing children’s futures is “intolerable,” while Balochistan Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar described the killing as a “cowardly and inhumane act.” He declared the slain policeman a “hero of the nation” and reaffirmed that the state would confront terrorists with an “iron fist.”

Despite mounting risks, the Pakistan Polio Programme remains undeterred. The third national polio drive of the year was formally launched at the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), Islamabad. Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication, inaugurated the campaign, joined by key partners and stakeholders.

The campaign aims to immunize millions of children across the country and achieve a polio-free Pakistan — a goal that has remained elusive but remains critically important.

 
Tagged:

PolioFreePakistan

EndPolioNow

NoshkiAttack

PolioWorkers
Share News: