Two policemen escorting polio vaccination workers were killed on Tuesday when unidentified armed men opened fire on them in Quetta’s Nawa Killi area.
It is worth mentioning here that the incident took place on the first day of immunisation drive to administer the polio vaccination to approximately 2.6 million children under five years of age in Balochistan.
According to the police, the two women in the polio vaccination teams remained safe but both the cops deployed at their security died on the spot. The deceased were identified as constable Shaukat Ali and Syed Muhammad.
However, members of the polio team did not sustain any injuries in the attack but added that the polio campaign in Nawa Killi and its surrounding areas had been suspended.
In response to the tragic incident, Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo condemned the attack and expressed sorrow over the loss of the policemen’s lives. He said that the attack as was a deliberate attempt to undermine the health of children and described it as a conspiracy by anti-national elements.
The chief minister also demanded a detailed report on the matter and urged authorities to use all available resources to apprehend the culprits responsible for the attack.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also denounced the attack as a terrorist act on the polio team in Quetta. He shared his condolences for the slain policemen and expressed hope for a swift capture of the perpetrators.
پی پی پی چیئرمین و وزیرِ خارجہ بلاول بھٹو زرداری کی کوئٹہ میں انسدادِ پولیو ٹیم پر دہشتگرد حملے کی مذمت
پی پی پی چیئرمین کا حملے میں پولیو ٹیم کی سیکیورٹی پر مامور دو پولیس اہلکاروں کی شہادت پر اظہارِ رنج و غم
امید ہے، حملے میں ملوث درندے بہت جلد جیل کی سلاخوں کے پیچھے ہوں گے:…
— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) August 1, 2023
Bilawal said that those endangering the health of the nation’s children would face strong consequences and called for enhanced security measures for polio teams. He urged people to fully cooperate with polio workers in their crucial efforts.
The propaganda against the vaccine and the deadly militant attacks have set back Pakistan’s efforts to eradicate the crippling disease.
