Two Levies personnel and as many women workers of an anti-polio campaign were injured in an alleged attack on them by protesters in Balochistan’s Chaman on Monday, according to officials.
The incident comes as a five-day anti-polio campaign was launched nationwide on Monday during which more than 16.5 million children under the age of five will be vaccinated.
While speaking to the media, Chaman Deputy Commissioner (DC) Raja Athar Abbas said that leaders of the Chaman protest attacked the polio team and attempted to steal weapons from police and Levies officials.
Two Levies personnel, one police official and two female workers were injured in the attack, DC Abbas said.
He said that while patrolling various areas, the protesters began removing the health workers and their security personnel. At one point, after a bitter conversation with Levies personnel, the situation became tense and weapons were snatched from the Levies personnel, he added.
DC Abbas said that a case would be registered against the accused under anti-terrorism provisions. “Protesting is a constitutional right, but if violence is resorted to, the state will take action as per the law,” he said.
He said the polio campaign would continue by sending more personnel to the area and that legal action would be taken against those who obstructed the campaign.
Meanwhile, a leader of the Chaman protest committee, Sadiq Achakzai said that protesters are patrolling various areas of the city.
“No government campaign will be allowed in any area until our demands our met,” he said.
For the past seven months, traders and daily wagers have been protesting in Chaman against the border closure and imposition of one-document regime for movement between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“We have boycotted the anti-polio campaign and campaign officials and we do not wish to cause harm to any polio worker or security personnel who is not a part of the door-to-door campaign,” Achakzai said.
“They are requested not to be part of the government’s anti-polio campaign,” he said.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind condemned the attack on the polio workers and said the district administration was taking action against those involved.
He said that the accused would be booked under anti-terrorism provisions and the law would take its course.
“No one will be given the right to take the law into their own hands,” Rind said.
Balochistan Home Minister Ziaullah Langau also condemned the attack.
He said the police should take action to arrest the elements involved in the incident. “Those attacking the polio team are the enemy of our children’s safe future,” Langau said.
“Extremist elements have been involved in attacks on anti-polio campaign workers, and they want to create chaos and harass people through such actions,” he was quoted as saying in a statement.
It added that the injured were being provided the best health facilities.
On Saturday, the year’s fourth polio case emerged after a 30-month-old child from Bhirkan Union Council in Lakhi tehsil, Shikarpur, was found infected with the disease.
This was the first case to be reported from Sindh, as the previous three victims belonged to Balochistan.
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