Police Constable Martyred While Protecting Polio Team in Nowshera

A police constable providing security to a polio vaccination team was shot dead by unidentified attackers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Nowshera district on Wednesday.

According to police, the slain officer, identified as Constable Maqsood, came under fire while guarding health workers but managed to protect the polio team from harm. The attack occurred in the Nizampur police station area, prompting authorities to suspend the vaccination drive in the locality and tighten security across the region.

Senior police officials, including the Regional Police Officer of Mardan and the District Police Officer of Nowshera, visited the scene and launched a search operation to trace the culprits. The constable’s funeral was held with full official honors at the Police Lines, Nowshera, attended by officers, political representatives, and local residents.

This incident follows a similar attack in Swat just a day earlier and highlights the ongoing dangers faced by polio workers and their security personnel in Pakistan. Militants have frequently targeted such teams, falsely portraying vaccination campaigns as Western conspiracies.

Pakistan remains one of only two countries in the world where polio is still endemic, with health authorities continuing their efforts to eradicate the virus despite persistent threats and misinformation.