Daily Times

KILLA SAIFULLAH, BALOCHISTAN: In a bid to completely eradicate Polio from the country, Pakistan launched an anti-Polio drive that faced resistance from some citizens.

An anti-Polio campaign’s team faced rejections from a few Pashtun areas of Balochistan like Killa Saifullah.

The highly religious people of Killa Saifullah had been given false information by their local clerics – who had given fatwas on polio and termed it ‘haram’. According to them, anti-Polio drops made children impotent and undermined their ability for ‘jihad’ – as they consider it a conspiracy of the west.

Killa Saifullah’s Moulvi Abdul Rauf – followed by family members of an entire street – refused to vaccinate their children during the polio campaign. Under directions of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Nasir Dotani, Assistant Commissioner (AC) Dr Waqas Roshan rushed to the scene – along with the Tehsildar, Risaldars of the tribal force and a police representative.

The street’s head showed resistance and was not convinced by any means. AC Waqas directed the police representative to arrest the man who resisted the vaccination. While being taken away to a nearby police station, he agreed to vaccinate his children. Family members of the entire street also agreed to vaccinate their children.

AC Waqas said that every effort – under the law – will be taken to eradicate the disease and save millions of children from the virus.