Polio cop martyred in Mastung attack
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A policeman guarding a team of polio vaccinators was martyred in an attack in Mastung District of Balochistan on Friday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The unidentified gunmen targeted the polio team in Karaiz Naut area of Mastung and opened indiscriminate firing on them, killing the policeman on the spot.
The remaining members of the polio team luckily escaped unhurt.
The martyred policeman was identified as Shahzad.
Police reinforcements and other officials rushed to the spot after the attack.
A seven-day anti-polio drive has been under way in half of Balochistan since Monday last to vaccinate some 1.26 million under-five children against the disabling and life-threatening disease caused by the poliovirus.
The campaign would cover 593 union councils in 18 districts of the province, Syed Zahid Shah, coordinator of the Balochistan Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), said in a statement then.
Around 5,000 teams would be deployed to administer polio drops to children. All arrangements had been finalized to launch the campaign in high-risk areas as well, he added.
The 18 districts include Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Chaman, Barkhan, Mastung, Chagai, Dera Bugti, Dukki, Qila Saifullah, Loralai, Nushki, Hub, Jaffarabad, Nasirabad, Sherani, Sohbatpur, Musakhel and Zhob.
Reporter Esa Tareen