Policeman guarding polio workers shot dead in Karachi

E-Paper | May 02, 2026

KARACHI: Gunmen on Monday killed a policeman guarding a polio vaccination team in Karachi, police officials said, the latest blow to efforts to stamp out the crippling virus in Pakistan.

The attackers on a motorbike shot the policeman in the western neighbourhood of Papoosh Nagar and then fled, senior police official Chaudhry Asad told AFP.

The vaccination drive remained unaffected by the shooting, he added.

Another police official confirmed the attack and casualty.

Earlier on Jan 19, unknown gunmen had shot a policeman assigned to provide security to a polio vaccination team in Karachi's Orangi Town area.

Take a look: Policeman escorting polio team shot in Karachi

Pakistan is one of only three countries where polio remains endemic.

Attempts to eradicate it have been badly hit by opposition from militants and attacks on immunisation teams that have claimed 68 lives since December 2012.

The militants claim that polio vaccination is a front for espionage or a conspiracy to sterilise Muslims.

Apart from attacks on vaccination teams, Karachi is rife with criminal, ethnic, political and sectarian killings which claim hundreds of lives

Our readers are at the heart of everything we do.
Do you have a thought to share or a way we can improve? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at feedback@dawn.com.

Pakistan

Crisis in Sindh health department as 75pc of top-level technical posts lie vacant

Sindh pursuing plan to produce low-cost electricity, CM Murad tells envoy

Most Karachi areas suffer as water crisis enters second week

Shafiq khan

Jan 26, 2015 02:29pm

The holy prophet came to finish jahaliet . Now we have new jahiliet to undo the mission of the holy prophet. Ironically they call themselves Muslims! This virus of terriorism in the name of the religion is deep rooted sickness spread by Mudressas.

Recommend 0

Muhammad Tahir Jamali

Jan 26, 2015 02:31pm

Inefficient Police

Recommend 0

Qamar

Jan 26, 2015 02:31pm

Some "friendly" country is trying very systematically to target soft targets and create aggressive offense.

Recommend 0

Sunil

Jan 26, 2015 02:41pm

Its sad that the 2 very similar cultures are targetting each other. Why dont we live in peace.

Recommend 0

Tranquil

Jan 26, 2015 02:59pm

Not again and they run away who killed. Wao

Recommend 0

Akram

Jan 26, 2015 03:06pm

why are people riding pillion on motorbikes not traceable by CCTV? if they are on a motorbike, there needs to be CCTV which recognises number plates. we have it here in London, so this is technology that has been around for some 10 years at least. the system should also be able to trace fake number plates not registered in the database of motor vehicles. This is not beyond the writ of man to put these in place.

Recommend 0

Sunil

Jan 26, 2015 03:10pm

Guarding polio workers has been the toughest job in Pakistan. The government needs to catch the culprits, setting up a trap.

Recommend 0

syed abdul majeed shah

Jan 26, 2015 03:18pm

Shame on police & security agency, why police unsuccessful in catching gunman.This is act of anti Pakistan agents of India but they are enemy . Our question is why again and again failure of law enforcing agencies and no action of authorities. They are embarrassing whole nation.

Recommend 0

Manjeet kocchar

Jan 26, 2015 03:21pm

Your people keep considering Indians ur enemy out to cause damage to your country False u urself are doing this job so efficiently better than any body can ever do

Recommend 0

Harmony

Jan 26, 2015 03:22pm

Catch the killers and 'hang em high'.

Recommend 0

Asher

Jan 26, 2015 03:40pm

It's better to have handicapped children than sterile adults. - Taliban logic

Recommend 0

vish

Jan 26, 2015 03:56pm

@syed abdul majeed shah U people can never overcome your problems because you just cannot think beyond India. ....

Recommend 0

Boston, USA

Jan 26, 2015 04:21pm

@Shafiq khan Thank Saudi for spreading the virus of terrorism in name of Islam.

Recommend 0

umar

Jan 26, 2015 04:42pm

Poor Karachi is suffering from diseases that have been marked fatal and deadly... Rest in peace... I don't know why dont our agencies take care of this matter... Life of every soldier is important... ! So many of them are killed in polio vaccination drive and how muchmore we need to sacrifice to end this killing and polio.

Recommend 0

Syed Abdul Majeed Shah

Jan 26, 2015 04:54pm

@vish Please note , I have no complain against India even Indian forces firing on borders, refusing peace talk, not doing reciprocal visit where Pakistan head of states done many visit, always finding an excuse not to come on conference table,even finding excuse not to comply UN resolution, having more consulate in Afghanistan than any other direct border touching neighbor in order to create trouble for Pakistan but my complain is against own security force and police for their failure in not controlling these culprits no matter they are internal or external.

Recommend 0

Evil Terminator

Jan 26, 2015 05:01pm

We need North Waziristan like operation in slums of Karachi.

Recommend 0

lkhan

Jan 26, 2015 05:20pm

Yet again. Very very sad. What are the Sharif brothers doing?? These mad men from radical groups will destroy the country.

Recommend 0

SALIM KHN

Jan 26, 2015 05:27pm

@Boston, USA American me rah kar itni negative thinking????

Recommend 0

farhad

Jan 26, 2015 05:36pm

they are not terrorists........... such killings are beyond apprehension of security forces. the real agenda, presumably is to get Pakistan declared as failed state coupled with opportunity to try and wash away our youth, our future generations. and who could benefit out of it ? that will be your own judgement to implore such evils. Afghans / India / Iran or some one within our own boundary persisting with this agenda wherever we try to vaccinate to the young ones. Could it be Baluchis ? no, these are Russians disguised as Afghans whereas India is their abettor.

Recommend 0

m. a

Jan 26, 2015 06:14pm

1. Stop the home vaccination. 2. Make it illegal for the two persons to ride a motor cycle.

Recommend 0

Jan 26, 2015 06:21pm

@farhad Why blame Afghans / India / Iran ? Don't many of your tribal clerics view the vaccination program with conspiratorial suspicion (not much different from your own, I might add) and openly poison the minds of men?

Recommend 0

SANJEEV KUMAR YADAV

Jan 26, 2015 06:28pm

Another step backwards.

Recommend 0

_zd

Jan 26, 2015 06:38pm

@Muhammad Tahir: Bro, a police man has died doing his duties... Criticism is good but your comments are really far away Policeman RIP.

Recommend 0

khanm

Jan 26, 2015 06:54pm

Humans have always used our intelligence and creativity to improve our existence. After all, we invented the wheel, discovered how to make fire, invented the printing press and found a vaccine for polio.... but now the creativity in Pakistan is going in the negative direction...going back to stone age....

Recommend 0

Seedoo

Jan 26, 2015 07:09pm

If polio workers are being regularly targeted, then why can't police patrol the areas where polio campaign is taking place? Making one person guard the area simply does not make any sense.

Recommend 0

omni

Jan 26, 2015 07:38pm

Who is brainwashing those killers?

Recommend 0

mayank

Jan 26, 2015 07:42pm

Just blaming police will solve the problems ?? I see so many pakistani friend commenting here, why dont they go with the polio vaccination workers and help them in spreading awareness and making the campaigns successful. It is the ignorance of people that is making the things worse. I wil request people that instead of just cursing govt for all problems they should contribute in eradicating them. And please dont take it otherwise it is a genuine concern from an Indian friend.

Recommend 0

mayank

Jan 26, 2015 07:47pm

@akram Dude this is not london. Even cities in India dont have cctvs on every corner. So ur logic is completely illogical. But what people can do is raise awareness among citizens to go for the polio canpaign.

Recommend 0

mayank

Jan 26, 2015 07:51pm

@farhad Wow man. You should be writing novels on conspiracy theories. I m sure it will be bestseller. You have got superb imagination. You can create conspiracy stories out of thin air.

Recommend 0

syed wasim haider

Jan 26, 2015 08:47pm

Very sad news. May his soul rest in peace. He is a hero.

Recommend 0

Naeem Qureshi

Jan 26, 2015 08:59pm

My heart goes out to the family of the policeman. Please advise where we can send money to help the family

Recommend 0

Zubair

Jan 26, 2015 09:08pm

Proper Education is needed so much to revert the sadness of confusion and cruelty.

Recommend 0

shamain

Jan 26, 2015 09:49pm

Recommend 0

Range Rover

Jan 26, 2015 09:58pm

Immense respect for the Police man, he is a hero!

Recommend 0

Tamiselvan

Jan 26, 2015 10:04pm

People who are giving up their lives for the betterment of the future generations such the polio workers and the soldier who died guarding them must be recognized and given the highest medal of honor in Pakistan as they truly deserve it.

Recommend 0

Cyrus Ho

Jan 27, 2015 01:56am

If they are shot dead it is too late to guard them. This has been ongoing. Each worker needs two policemen to guard her. This is not new, but it certainly creates bad press for Pakistan.

Recommend 0

Cyrus Ho

Jan 27, 2015 02:00am

@Qamar The "friendly" country knows that Pakistan really is it's enemy and not a friend or ally. Don't kid yourself. It is just a game, and young polio victims have become pawns in the game.

Recommend 0

Cyrus Ho

Jan 27, 2015 02:11am

@Akram Police need high powered motorcycles like the ones Turkish police in Istanbul ride. The should also carry M-79 grenade launchers to knock both fleeing felons off their motorbikes. Simple. Tactically the one riding in tandem is covering the escape. The grenade launcher will get them both at the same time, even by police on foot patrol. Very simple. Get 1000 cc Hondas and blue prints to make M-79 grenade launchers or buy some from China. These hired guns will think twice when they see their friends disintegrated. Young police officers would volunteer to join an elite group of motorcycle police. They could go to train in Turkey.

Recommend 0

ROHIT PANDEY

Jan 27, 2015 02:57am

Pakistan's agonizing identity crises is never ending? Shooting a policeman who was guarding polio workers? Guarding Islam huh?:(

Recommend 0

saeeds

Jan 27, 2015 03:30am

Stop protecting your religion and stop blaming others.

Recommend 0

bad shah khan

Jan 27, 2015 06:20am

a poor man killed by terrorists for protecting someone else's child - we know who of the two is going to heaven

Recommend 0

Branded Content

Taptap Send, Arshad Nadeem partner to highlight Pakistan’s unsung champions

The initiative comes at a time when cricket continues to dominate national attention, often overshadowing achievements in other sports.

NexGen Auto (Nishat Group) to Introduce iCAUR in Pakistan

As one of Pakistan’s leading business groups, Nishat Group operates across key sectors including textiles, cement, banking, insurance, power and agriculture.