Pakistan: Policeman escorting polio workers shot dead in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

A policeman escorting a team of polio health care workers was shot dead by "unidentified gunmen" in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (KP) Karak district on Tuesday, Dawn reported citing authorities.

The officer was providing security to a team of polio workers, who remain unharmed.

Karak's District Police Officer (DPO) Irfanullah, while confirming the incident, said that a search operation had been launched in the area to catch the culprits. He added that the polio vaccination drive -- which began across the country on Monday -- had not been halted after the incident.

KP Inspector General of Police Sanaullah Abbasi also took notice of the incident and said that the official's killers will be caught soon.

He further said that security was being provided to polio workers and added: "The killing of police [official] is proof that security is being provided."

A five-day polio vaccination campaign started on Monday in Pakistan. Under this, the government has planned to vaccinate 40 million children under the age of 5 across the country.

Pakistan and Afghstan are the two countries in the world where polio is endemic. Last year, Nigeria was declared free of the wild poliovirus.

Polio eradication drive in Pakistan remains a challenge for the country's government as terrorists continue to attack health care workers and security persons who accomped them.

Terrorists consider anti-polio vaccines as a Western conspiracy to sterilise Muslims.

( With inputs from ANI )