The Hangu polio team attack has once again highlighted the security risks faced by frontline workers in Pakistan’s ongoing polio eradication campaign, after a police official was martyred in the incident.
According to police, unknown armed assailants opened fire on a security team assigned to protect polio vaccination workers in the Chappri Waziran area of Hangu, under the jurisdiction of Tal Police Station.
The Hangu polio team attack resulted in the martyrdom of Constable Israr-ul-Haq, a resident of Shangla who was also enrolled in an intermediate course at the Police Training Centre.
Four other police personnel were injured in the firing and were immediately shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. Their condition is being closely monitored by authorities.
Following the attack, a heavy police contingent launched a search operation in the area. Officials reported that security forces retaliated, with reports suggesting that at least two attackers were killed during the exchange of fire.
The Hangu polio team attack comes at a time when Pakistan has launched its second nationwide anti-polio campaign of 2026, aiming to vaccinate over 45 million children under five.
Despite the incident, authorities confirmed that the vaccination drive will continue without interruption, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to eliminating polio and protecting children from lifelong disability.
