QUETTA: A police constable escorting health workers was martyred on Tuesday in a targeted attack during a polio eradication campaign in Pishin district.
Police said the incident took place in the Mirzai area of Killi Trat, on the outskirts of Pishin town, when armed men opened fire on the team. The polio volunteers remained safe as the head constable of Pishin police covered them. But he ended up receiving bullet injuries. He was rushed to the district hospital, but passed away on the way.
“We have received the body of the policeman, who was identified as Muhammad Hashim,” hospital officials said, adding the body was shifted to Quetta for an autopsy.
“Armed men attacked the team vaccinating children in Killi Trat area of Pishin district. However, all the team members remained unhurt,” Pishin Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Yasir Khan Bazai said, adding the assailants managed to escape after the attack.
Security forces rushed to the site and launched a search operation in the area to trace the assailants. However, no arrest was reported till the filing of this report.
“The five-day anti-polio campaign will continue till Oct 28 in 426 union councils of 19 districts of the province,” officials of the Balochistan Emergency Operation Centre told Dawn, adding security had been tightened across the province and more personnel deputed with the polio teams.
The target of the latest anti-polio drive is to vaccinate 1.785 million children below the age of five years. This was the first incident of firing on a polio team in Balochistan in over three years.
Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo condemned the attack and expressed grief over the incident. He called it a cowardly act of terrorism, and sought a report on the incident. He directed the authorities concerned to bring those responsible to justice without any delay.
CM Bizenjo also directed the home department and the provincial inspector general of police to ensure foolproof security to the polio team at all costs.
Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2022
