A policeman assigned to protect a polio vaccination team has been shot dead by armed men in Balochistan’s Nushki district.
The attack took place on Tuesday in the Killi Muhammad Hassani area of Nushki. According to local reports, unidentified gunmen opened fire on the policeman before seizing his weapon and motorcycle.
The officer has been identified as Waheed Ahmed, son of Muhammad Hashim, and a resident of Jamalabad, Nushki. He was assigned to protect the polio team as part of the ongoing nationwide immunization campaign.
Police officials said the assailants fled the scene after the attack. A search operation has been launched to locate the perpetrators. Security forces cordoned off the area and began collecting forensic evidence.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Pakistan has witnessed a series of attacks on polio teams and their security escorts in recent years. Religious extremist groups have often targeted polio campaigns, accusing them of being Western conspiracies. Balochistan, particularly areas like Quetta, Chaman, and Mastung, has seen several deadly assaults on polio workers, often claimed by religious extremist groups.