A group of Pakistani polio workers was attacked by a school’s administration in Karachi after the team attempted to vaccinate its students against the disease.
According to details, the workers -- Asma, Shazia, Raees Farrukh and Raheela Masroor -- visited the school in Karachi’s North Nazimaabad area and tried to convince the school administration about the importance of polio vaccination.
“But they insisted they were guardians of the school children during school timings and parents had not given permission for their children to be given anti-polio drops,” Ms. Raheela said.
“They physically attacked us and also damaged the car used by us,” she said.
The four-member team of polio workers led by Assistant Commissioner Sheikh Rafiq registered a police report against the school administration.
“We were attacked after we insisted it was government directives that we are allowed to vaccinate the eligible students against polio,” Mr. Rafiq said.
The same school had last year also attacked polio workers who had visited the school as part of the anti-polio drive.
Polio workers have faced problems during vaccination drives in many parts of the country including Karachi where in the past militants have attacked female health workers.
Many extremist groups have spread rumours that the vaccination drives were a front for espionage or a conspiracy to sterilise Muslims.
Last month, two women polio workers were shot dead in Quetta.
