Two policemen guarding polio team martyred in Balochistan’s Nushki

• Policemen martyred after armed men opened fire: police.
• Police identify slain officials as Yasir Ahmed and Abdul Rauf.
• Nationwide anti-polio campaign to continue through Sept 27.

NUSHKI: Two policemen guarding a polio team were martyred after unidentified armed men opened fire in Nushki district of Balochistan, police said on Tuesday.

The slain police officials were identified as Yasir Ahmed and Abdul Rauf, according to the Nushki City police station.

Police said that the attackers also took the two policemen’s weapons after the firing incident.

Hostile elements often target polio teams in the terrorism-hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces in an attempt to disrupt the vaccination drive.

In May this year, two cops were martyred in separate incidents targeting polio vaccination teams in KP’s Bajaur district in May this year.

The latest firing incident comes as the nationwide anti-polio campaign, launched on September 21, continues through September 27.

During the campaign, around 31 million children will be administered polio vaccine drops.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan was committed to achieving the shared goal of completely eradicating polio.

The prime minister made the remarks during his meeting with a delegation from the Gates Foundation in Islamabad on September 10.

“The national programme for polio eradication enjoys patronage at the highest level. The Gates Foundation has played a commendable role in eradicating polio, improving health, nutrition, financial inclusion, and the welfare of society’s vulnerable segments,” he had said.