Attack on Polio Team in Balochistan Leaves 4 Personnel Injured

News Desk 

Quetta:  In a troubling incident unfolding in the border city of Chaman, Balochistan, armed assailants alleegdly linked to the ‘Dharna’ Committee have launched an attack on a polio vaccination team, resulting in injuries to four Levies personnel.

Reports from Dawn News indicate that the attackors targeted the Levies personnel in an apparent bid to seize both weapons and vaccines from the ongoing polio campaign team.

According to a spokesperson for the provincial government, the assault on the polio team in Chaman has been strongly denounced, with confirmation that four Levies personnel have been harmed as a result.

Deputy Commissioner Chaman, Raja Ata Abbas, clarified that the armed individuals associated with the ‘Dharna’ Committee instigated the attack on the polio team, endeavoring to forcefully halt the vaccination campaign.

In their attempt to wrest weapons from the police and Levies personnel, the suspects caused further casualties in the area.

Deputy Commissioner Ata Abbas affirmed the continuity of the polio campaign, emphasizing that legal measures will be pursued against those obstructing its progress.

This incident unfolds against the backdrop of a nationwide 5-day polio vaccination campaign commencing today (Monday), targeting the administration of drops to over 6.5 million children under the age of 5. 

Earlier announcements by the provincial health secretary indicated that the polio campaign in Balochistan would kick off on June 3 in 14 districts out of 20, while the remaining six districts would commence from June 8 due to heatwave forecasts.

Over 1.8 million children are set to receive polio drops in these crucial vaccination drives.

Govt Condemns Chaman Attack

The spokesperson for the Balochistan government, Shahid Rind, strongly condemned the recent gun attack on polio workers, which resulted in at least four Levies officials being injured in Chaman district on Monday.

According to Rind, unidentified assailants targeted the team, attempting to snatch weapons from Levies personnel who were escorting them as they administered polio vaccination drops to children. The attackers also attempted to steal vaccines from the team.

Rind assured that the district administration is actively pursuing action against those involved in the attack, and that legal proceedings, including filing a case under anti-terrorism laws, are underway.

Emphasizing that the law will take its course against the attackers, Rind affirmed that they will be brought to justice and receive exemplary punishment for their assault on the polio team.

While acknowledging the constitutional right to protest, Rind cautioned against resorting to violence. He asserted that the state will respond in accordance with the law to any such instances of violence.

Rind issued a stern warning that no individual will be permitted to take the law into their own hands, affirming that the government will take decisive action against such elements.

Polio Drive Postponed

The scheduled anti-polio drive in six districts of Balochistan has been postponed due to the prevailing heatwave in the province.

The drive, originally set to commence today, has been rescheduled for June 8th in the districts of Nasirabad, Sibi, Jaffar Abad, Ustha Muhammad, Dera Bugti, and Sohbatpur, as reported by private news channels.

Health officials cited a weather forecast by the Met Office predicting a severe heatwave in the region as the reason for postponing the drive.

The health department prioritized the safety of vaccination teams and the public, prompting the decision to delay the campaign.

The anti-polio campaign’s objective remains unchanged: to vaccinate thousands of children in the province. The new dates have been set to ensure the campaign’s successful implementation.

Parents and caregivers are urged to cooperate with the health teams to ensure the vaccination of their children when the drive resumes.