Two policemen have been killed in Noshki on Tuesday after armed men attacked a security detail assigned to a female polio vaccination team, police said, forcing the campaign to be suspended in the area.
The assailants, travelling on a motorcycle, opened fire on the policemen as they accompanied the team during the province-wide vaccination drive, Noshki City Station House Officer (SHO) Munawar Zaman said.
The vaccinators escaped unharmed, while the attackers fled after taking the weapons of the slain policemen, Zaman added.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
The deceased were identified as constables Muhammad Yasir and Abdul Rauf.
The incident came a day after Balochistan launched a week-long polio campaign across all 32 districts of the province.
The drive is targeting 2.3 million children under five, with the aim of preventing the spread of the virus.
Following the attack, vaccination activities in the affected area were halted.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the shooting and expressed condolences to the families of the two policemen.
He described the attack on those protecting a campaign aimed at safeguarding children as a “heinous and unforgivable act” and pledged exemplary punishment for those responsible.
Balochistan Chief Minister (CM) Sarfraz Bugti ordered the provincial Home Department to submit a report on the incident and paid tribute to the two policemen.
Bugti said an investigation was being conducted to establish the motive behind the attack and determine those responsible.
“The anti-polio campaign is a national effort to protect children from a dangerous disease, and the safety of the teams associated with this campaign is of utmost importance,” he said.
The latest campaign in Balochistan follows them detection of two positive environmental samples for poliovirus in the province.
