Bajaur/South Waziristan: In a tragic turn of events on Wednesday, six people lost their lives, including three security personnel, a polio worker, and two laborers, in separate incidents across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur and South Waziristan districts. Additionally, twelve others were injured in these attacks, which have cast a shadow over the ongoing polio vaccination campaign.
In Bajaur’s Salarzai tehsil, a police officer and a polio worker were shot dead in an ambush on a polio vaccination team. The attack took place in the mountainous Mala Said Banda area on the third day of the polio drive. The victims, Constable Luqman Khan (33) and polio worker Abu Huraira (25), were killed on the spot.
Following this brutal incident, police officers in Bajaur announced a boycott of the polio campaign in protest, demanding swift justice for their slain colleague. The boycott was announced in a video clip where scores of police personnel gathered at the police line in Khar, Bajaur, to make their decision public. The officers plan to hold a protest meeting at the police line today, demanding the arrest of those responsible for the killings.
In another incident in Bajaur’s Mamund tehsil, a roadside bomb claimed the life of a security official and injured four others when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device (IED).
Meanwhile, in South Waziristan, gunfire broke out at an FC checkpoint in the Angoor Adda area, resulting in the deaths of a paramilitary soldier and two laborers. The exchange of fire between security forces and unidentified gunmen lasted for hours, injuring eight others.
The recent string of attacks in these areas has heightened concerns for security forces and civilians alike, casting a grim light on the ongoing efforts to safeguard the nation from polio and insurgent activities.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attacks, calling them cowardly assaults on those working to protect the future of Pakistan’s children. An investigation into the incidents is ongoing.
