June 2, 2025
By Kaleem Ullah
LAHORE
A police officer was killed when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a delegation of health workers conducting a polio vaccination drive in Balochistan’s restive Nushki district. The incident occurred during the second day of a door-to-door immunization campaign on May 27.
Police officials confirmed that the slain officer was part of the security detail escorting the polio team. Fortunately, none of the health workers were harmed in the attack. No group has claimed responsibility so far.
The deceased, Waheed Ahmed, was described by his cousin and fellow police officer, Inspector Ziauddin, as a deeply humble and beloved member of their joint family. “Waheed was more than a cousin—he was like a brother to me,” said Ziauddin. “He never disappointed anyone in his life. He a favourite in the family.”
The incident
On the day of the attack, Waheed had been assigned to accompany the polio team. He went on duty using his own recently purchased motorcycle, which he had bought on an installment plan.
“He was targeted from behind while performing his duty and died on the spot,” Ziauddin said.
Waheed remained unmarried, having assumed full financial responsibility for his family, including his 80-year-old ailing father, who suffers from a neurological disorder.
Ziauddin criticized the police department’s operational policy, blaming his cousin’s death on official negligence. “The department is deploying only one police officer per polio team, which is completely inadequate in the event of an armed attack. That’s why I say the department killed him,” he said.
Ziauddin also challenged the department’s excuse of manpower shortage.
“Nushki consists of only a few union councils. Instead of assigning one policeman per team across different areas, why not vaccinate one union council per day with adequate security?”
Meanwhile Waheed’s killing was condemned by the authorities. President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the attack and extended his condolences to Waheed’s family. “The courage and sacrifice of those involved in the polio campaign inspire us all to protect our children from this crippling disease,” he stated.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the incident and expressed his sorrow over Waheed Mengal’s death. His office released a statement reaffirming that attacks on polio teams—working to secure children’s futures—are unacceptable. He vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.
Earlier, Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Prime Minister’s Advisor on Polio Eradication and Chairperson of the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC), condemned the attack. “It’s not the first time that security personnel have been targeted while safeguarding polio workers. Over the years, the nature of threats has evolved—initially it was the health workers themselves; now it’s the security officials guarding them.”
But Ziauddin translates the deep distress and hurt that the family is feeling, and dismisses the statements as symbolic gestures aimed at international optics.
“They are only condemning this to secure foreign aid. If they truly valued their force, they would have at least declared Waheed a ‘martyr’ and launched a serious investigation,” he said. He further questioned why Waheed had not been officially declared a martyr. “By declaring him a Shaheed, the department becomes bound to properly compensate his family for his sacrifice in the line of duty. But they have not even done that.”
Speaking to Voicepk, the District Police Officer (DPO) of Nushki said law enforcement, along with intelligence agencies, is working to apprehend those responsible. “We have arrested some suspects, but the actual perpetrators are still at large,” he said.
When asked how many raids had been conducted and why Waheed had not yet been declared a martyr (Shaheed), the DPO refused to comment further, eventually hanging up the phone mid-conversation.
According to the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, the country reported 73 polio cases in 2024, with Balochistan alone accounting for 27—the highest of any province. So far in 2025, a single case has been reported from the province.
A report by the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) documented a surge in violence against polio teams and their security personnel. In 2024, there were 13 reported attacks, resulting in 13 fatalities and 10 injuries—up from 10 attacks that killed five and injured 11 the previous year.