Cop martyred in attack on polio team in South Waziristan

• Police recover CNIC, 3 ATM cards, and smartphone from militant.
• Slain terrorist had rocket launcher, machine gun in possession.
• Case registered at CTD Azam Warsak police station.

A policeman embraced martyrdom while a terrorist was killed in an exchange of fire following an attack on police personnel guarding a polio vaccination team in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's South Waziristan district.

According to police, the martyred constable was deployed on duty for the polio vaccination campaign when the incident occurred.

The killed terrorist was found in possession of a rocket launcher, a machine gun, and two motorcycles. Authorities also recovered a national identity card, three ATM cards, and a smartphone from the militant.

Officials confirmed that a case has been registered at the CTD Azam Warsak police station.

Pakistan has witnessed a dramatic uptick in attacks, mostly in KP and Balochistan, since the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2021, with Islamabad claiming hostile groups plan their attacks from Afghan soil.

The attack comes a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif launched this year’s second nationwide anti-polio campaign, from April 21 to April 27.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only countries where polio is endemic.

The vaccination teams are frequently targeted by militants across Pakistan. In 2024, 20 people were killed and 53 were injured during anti-polio campaigns in KP.

Earlier in February, a police official was martyred in KP’s Bajaur in an attack on a polio vaccination team. Police said the official was heading to his post when gunmen on a motorbike opened fire, killing him on the spot.