Two levies personnel guarding polio team martyred in Mastung

MASTUNG: At least two Levies personnel guarding a polio vaccination team were martyred in a targeted attack by unknown assailants in Mastung, Balochistan, ARY News reported.

As per details, the incident occurred when armed assailants opened fire on the Levies personnel identified as Naik Muhammad and Maqsood Ahmed deployed to guard polio team.

According to police officials, Naik Muhammad was killed on the spot, while Maqsood Ahmed, initially injured in the attack, succumbed to his wounds later, raising the death toll to two. Both officials were rushed to a nearby hospital, but Maqsood could not survive.

The Balochistan government Spokesperson Shahid Rind condemned the incident and termed the incident as “tragic” and vowed that the ongoing anti-polio campaign would not be sabotaged.

“A thorough investigation is underway, and all aspects of the incident are being examined,” Rind stated. He paid tribute to the martyred personnel, saying, “We salute the sacrifices of our brave Levies officials and take pride in their dedication.”

In a separate incident, two polio workers were kidnapped by unknown armed men in the Kulachi area of Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan).

Also read: Afghanistan outpacing Pakistan in polio eradication efforts: Health Minister

According to police, the incident occurred when gunmen opened fire on a flying coach heading to Kulachi. The assailants stopped the coach, forcibly offloaded two passengers, and took them away.

The polio workers were returning after attending a training session for the National Emergency Polio Campaign held in DI Khan city.

The attack occurred at the time when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formally launched the seven-day nationwide anti-polio campaign by administering polio drops to children.

Speaking on the occasion, he urged parents to cooperate with anti-polio field teams to ensure their children’s vaccination and help completely eradicate the poliovirus from the country.

The Prime Minister expressed confidence in Pakistan’s ability to eliminate polio through collective efforts. He further said that comprehensive and effective security arrangements have been made to protect polio teams.

Besides, he emphasized the importance of public awareness and mobilization in the fight against the poliovirus.

The Prime Minister also extended his gratitude to international partners, including the World Health Organization and the Gates Foundation, for their continued support in the government’s efforts to eradicate polio from Pakistan.