Daily Times

Leading religious scholars representing different school of Islamic thoughts have expressed their strong support to the ongoing immunization campaigns in the country for vaccination of children against 12 perilous diseases especially crippling polio.

The commitment and support from prominent religious dignitaries issued at a gathering arranged under `Mutahida Ulema Conference’ by Emergency Operation Center (EOC) KP with the support of Unicef and WHO. Provincial Minister for Religious Affairs, Sabhibzada Adnan Qadri and KP Health Minister, Syed Qasim Ali Shah were also present in the ulema conference.

More than 190 religious scholars from different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also endorsed religious decrees issued at national and international levels in the support of vaccination for prevention from different diseases.

The Ulema Conference also issued `Peshawar Declaration’ clearly stating that polio vaccination are essential for protection of children from crippling disease.

“Prevention and treatment is allowed in religion and vaccination against polio is included under this injunction for protection of vulnerable children from disability,” reads the declaration read by Maulana Yousaf Shah of Darul Uloom Haqania Akhora Khattak.

In the declaration, parents were asked that protection of children from different diseases is their moral as well as religious duty and urged them to cooperate in eradication of these diseases from the country.

In the declaration, religious scholars also held out assurance of their full cooperation is removal of misconceptions regarding polio vaccination and expressing willingness of going door to door for convincing people on immunization of their children.

Speaking on the occasion, Provincial Minister for Health, Syed Qasim Ali Shah eulogized the role played by religious scholars in guiding people about importance of immunization ensuing in reduction of refusal to a larger extent.

He said ulema enjoys special reverence by people and by spreading their message from mosque and pulpits, they can easily remove misunderstanding among masses about vaccination spread through propagation by scrupulous elements.

Syed Qasim Ali Shah acknowledged that ulema extended support to government at a difficult time when refusals were in thousands which have been shrunk to few hundreds.

He asked Islamic saints to continue support to government and Health department in prevention of all diseases including polio.

Provincial Minister for Religious Affairs, Sahibzada Adnan Qadri said polio is eradicated in majority of the globe except from Pakistan and Afghanistan.

However, he said, with the support of religious scholars the infection will also be wiped out from our country.

He urged upon all segments of society to take part in fight against polio otherwise we can face international travel ban.

Sahibzada Adnan Qadri also thanked Ulema-e-Karam for their cooperation and support in national cause of eradication of polio.

Earlier, Head of Jamia Subhani Dargai Batkhela, Mufti Fazle Jamil Rizvi threw light on objections raised on polio vaccination and gave answers with religious references.

He said the first misconception or objection found among people is that if there is no illness among a child, why he should be vaccinated.

Mufti Jamil said in Islam much emphasis is given on prevention than treatment and vaccination is part of prevention of child from becoming ill.

Furthermore, he continued, the ingredients of polio vaccination cannot be rejected or declared `Haram’ on basis of suspicion.

District Khateeb Peshawar, Maulana Tayyab Qureshi said he conveys message regarding importance of vaccination to thousands of people who gather at historic Masjid Muhabat Khan on every Friday. He said ulema have also played very important role in removing the hesitancy of people about Covid-19 vaccination. Coordinator EOC KP, Abdul Basit also spoke on the occasion and said with the support of religious scholars, polio will be wiped out from the country. He also informed the participants that no case of polio infection has been reported in KP in current year but still environmental sampling have been found positive in some districts.

During the conference polio drops were also administered to two children by Provincial Minister for Religious Affairs, Sahibzada Adnan Qadri to formally inaugurate polio immunization campaign in the province from September 9, next.