In the battle against polio, seven policemen guarding polio vaccination teams in Karachi lost their lives Wednesday.

According to Police Inspector General Feroz Shah, eight gunmen riding four motorcycles carried out the killings in two separate attacks in Orangi town.

The anti-polio campaign in the area was suspended immediately and heavy contingents of law enforcement agencies, including paramilitary Rangers, cordoned off the area.

The deceased were guarding health workers engaged in a four-day anti-polio campaign which started on Monday.

Sindh Rangers DG Maj Gen Bilal Akbar said a joint investigation into the attacks will be launched by police and Rangers. He said the policemen had offered their lives to protect polio workers – "a sacrifice that will not go to waste".

This is not the first time that police deployed for security of polio workers who have come under attack from insurgents opposed to the campaign.

Source: WAM