QUETTA: A police officer was martyred when armed terrorists opened fire on a polio vaccination team in Union Council Roghani 3 of Chaman, Balochistan, on Friday.
According to Chaman Deputy Commissioner Habib Ahmed Bangulzai, the polio team was carrying out routine vaccination activities when motorcycle-riding assailants launched the attack.
As a result, police constable Nizamuddin was martyred on the spot while protecting the team.
The polio workers remained safe as they were inside a house administering vaccines to children at the time of the attack. The body of the martyred officer was shifted to Civil Hospital Chaman for legal formalities.
Following the incident, police cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to trace the attackers. The deputy commissioner said security measures had been further tightened, while the polio campaign continued on its final day under strict protection.
Funeral prayers for the martyred officer were offered at Chaman City police station. District Police Officer Abdullah Imran Cheema, Deputy Superintendent of Police Tahir Mahmood Kiani, station house officers, other police officials, and a large number of citizens participated in the funeral.
Meanwhile, the polio campaign remained underway for the rest of the day, with security for vaccination teams further enhanced.
In December last year, two people, including a constable, were killed after unidentified assailants attacked a polio team in the Salarzai tehsil of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district, the police said.
Polio vaccinators, who go door-to-door to inoculate children, are frequently targeted by terrorists, especially in KP and Balochistan.
Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2026
