A policeman guarding a polio vaccination team in Pishin, Balochistan was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on Tuesday, an official said.

Pishin Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Yasir, told Dawn.com that the assailants attacked the vaccination team in the Trat area of Pishin, killing the policeman who was deployed to guard the vaccinators.

Yasir said the polio team workers remained unhurt in the attack.

The deceased was identified as constable Muhammad Hashim. His body was shifted to Quetta for medico-legal formalities.

According to the DC, the police have started a search operation in the area to arrest the attackers.

Attacks on polio vaccination teams are not an uncommon occurrence in the country. In August this year, two policemen guarding a polio vaccination team were shot dead by unknown assailants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tank district.

The incident comes as a five-day anti-polio campaign is underway in 426 union councils of 19 districts of Balochistan.

Pakistan, Afghanistan and Mozambique remained the only three countries where poliovirus cases are being reported. This year, they have reported 19, two and seven cases, respectively.