In a tragic incident on Friday, a bombing near a girls’ school in Mastung, a city in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, left seven people dead, including five young children, a police officer, and a local shopkeeper. According to Rahmat Ullah, a senior police officer, the bombing targeted a police van deployed to provide security for polio vaccination workers in the area. “The police van that came under attack was taking personnel for the protection of polio staff,” Ullah told AFP. He also noted that the blast occurred close to a girls’ school in the city’s main market.
Vulnerable Polio Workers and Security Forces Under Threat
Polio remains endemic in only two countries worldwide: Pakistan and Afghanistan. In both nations, polio vaccination teams frequently face violence, often from militant groups who oppose immunization campaigns and view them as targets for attacks on security forces. The bombing in Mastung highlights the ongoing dangers that polio vaccination workers and their security details confront. “Seven individuals: one police officer, five children and one shopkeeper” lost their lives in the blast, senior police officer Abdul Fatah confirmed to AFP.
Condemnation of Attack on Children
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi expressed profound condemnation for the tragedy, calling it an “act of brutality” and highlighting the senseless targeting of children in the attack. Naqvi had initially reported a death toll of three children and one police officer before updated figures were confirmed. There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. Earlier in the week, two police officers assigned to protect polio workers in northwestern Pakistan were killed in a separate assault, believed to be the work of militants.
Polio Vaccination Efforts Face Renewed Challenges Amid Rising Cases
The tragic bombing in Mastung occurred during a national push to eradicate polio, with Pakistan launching a week-long vaccination drive aiming to immunize over 45 million children over the age of five. Unfortunately, Pakistan has reported a surge in polio cases this year, with at least 41 cases so far in 2024, compared to only six in 2023. The rise in cases underscores the importance of such vaccination drives, despite the significant risks involved.
Militant Activity Escalates Amid Tensions with Afghanistan
Since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan has seen a resurgence of militant violence, particularly in its western regions. Islamabad has repeatedly called on Kabul’s leadership to prevent cross-border attacks by militants who use Afghanistan as a base to target Pakistan.
Balochistan, where Mastung is located, has been a hotbed for insurgency, with groups such as the Baloch Liberation Army frequently staging attacks against security personnel and civilians. This latest bombing adds to the complex challenges faced by Pakistan in protecting both its citizens and its healthcare initiatives amidst ongoing threats from militant groups.
