Peshawar, April 13, 2026: A police constable was martyred and four others injured on Monday when armed assailants opened fire on a law enforcement team deployed to provide security to polio vaccination workers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu district.
According to police officials, the incident occurred in Thall tehsil as the security party was escorting teams engaged in the first day of a nationwide anti-polio campaign scheduled from April 13 to 19.
The Hangu District Police said “terrorists opened sudden fire on a police party,” resulting in the martyrdom of one constable and injuries to four others. The injured personnel were shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
Officials added that the security team immediately retaliated, with Kohat Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Irfan Tariq stating that reports suggested two attackers were killed in the exchange of fire. He further said that the assailants retrieved the bodies of their accomplices from the scene before fleeing.
Following the attack, security forces launched a search operation in the area to trace the perpetrators.
Police confirmed that the anti-polio campaign in Hangu would continue as planned, asserting that such attacks would not undermine national immunization efforts.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the attack and sought a detailed report from the provincial police chief.
In a statement, the chief minister described the targeting of personnel on national duty as a “cowardly act” and reaffirmed that those responsible would not succeed in their objectives. He expressed grief over the martyrdom of the constable and directed authorities to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured personnel. He also reiterated the provincial government’s full support for the bereaved family.
Security officials noted that attacks on polio vaccination teams remain a persistent challenge in parts of Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where vaccinators and their escorts have frequently come under militant fire.
In a previous incident in February, a police officer was martyred in an attack on a vaccination team in Balochistan’s Chaman district.
Despite security challenges, officials say violent incidents declined last year due to strengthened protective measures. However, they acknowledged that risks remain high in certain high-threat districts.
Official data indicates that since 2012, dozens of security personnel and health workers have been killed or injured in attacks linked to polio campaigns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, underscoring the sustained threat faced by frontline workers.
Pakistan remains one of only two countries in the world—alongside Afghanistan—where polio is still endemic. Authorities say ongoing security risks, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation continue to hinder eradication efforts, despite repeated nationwide vaccination drives.
