NUSHKI: Two police officers protecting a polio vaccination team were killed on Tuesday, Sept, 22, after unidentified gunmen opened fire in Nushki district of Balochistan, police said, as a nationwide campaign to vaccinate millions of children entered its second day.
Police identified the slain officers as Yasir Ahmed and Abdul Rauf, according to officials at Nushki City police station. The attackers fled after the shooting and took the officers’ weapons, police said.
The attack occurred as Pakistan’s nationwide polio vaccination campaign ran from Sept. 21 through Sept. 27, with health workers aiming to provide polio drops to about 31 million children.
Security personnel assigned to protect vaccination workers have faced attacks in parts of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where security concerns have made it difficult for health teams to reach some communities.
In May, two police officers were also killed in separate attacks involving polio vaccination teams in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district, according to the report.
Pakistan continues to battle polio as health authorities work to reach children across the country. Recent reporting says Pakistan has recorded four polio cases so far in 2026, while health officials continue to warn that missed children and security challenges can allow the virus to spread.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminating polio from Pakistan. During a Sept. 10 meeting with a Gates Foundation delegation in Islamabad.
He highlighted the national program’s efforts and the foundation’s role in supporting health and development initiatives. The latest attack highlights the security risks faced by police officers and vaccination workers during Pakistan’s continuing effort to eliminate polio.
