Cop killed as polio vaccination team attacked in Bajaur

A police officer guarding a polio vaccination team was shot dead by gunmen in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district on Wednesday, officials confirmed.

The attackers, riding a motorcycle, opened fire on the officer, killing him on the spot, while the polio team remained unharmed, said Bajaur police officer Niaz Muhammad.

The polio eradication campaign in Bajaur had already faced delays due to security concerns amid a surge in militant attacks, according to senior police official Waqas Rafiq.

Following the incident, vaccinations continued across the district except at the attack site.

Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only countries where polio is endemic, and health workers and their security escorts have been frequent targets of militant attacks.

The country has reported two polio cases so far this year, with 74 infections recorded in 2024—a significant rise from six cases in 2023.

Polio primarily affects children under five, causing potential lifelong paralysis. Despite the risk, vaccination campaigns continue under tight security measures.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant violence, particularly in KP and Balochistan, following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021.

Islamabad has repeatedly alleged that hostile groups plan attacks from Afghan territory.