Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has addressed the recent attack on a polio team in Union Council (UC) 69 of Dataganj Bakhsh Town and has requested a detailed report on the incident.
“Polio workers play a critical role in preventing lifelong disabilities in children,” Chief Minister Nawaz stated, underscoring the need for robust security measures during the ongoing anti-polio campaign to protect both the workers and the community.
Read more: Pakistan Launched Nationwide Polio Vaccination Campaign to Protect 30 Million Children
In response, the police have deployed over 12,000 personnel across the province to safeguard polio workers. Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Bilal Siddique Kamiana confirmed that a security alert will remain in place until the campaign ends on September 15.
SHOs have been directed to closely monitor security, with no tolerance for negligence in protecting the anti-polio teams.
The Chief Minister reaffirmed the provincial government’s dedication to ensuring every child is vaccinated while guaranteeing the safety of the polio workers.
Latest Statistics
In the ongoing Special Anti-Polio Campaign, over 1.2 million children have received polio drops so far. On the third day alone, more than 419,700 children were vaccinated, and 299,316 homes were reached. The Lahore deputy commissioner emphasized that parents who refuse the drops should be encouraged to vaccinate their children.
Bannu Tragedy
A tragic incident occurred in Tehsil Dumail of Bannu when unidentified attackers targeted a polio vaccination team near a refugee camp, resulting in the death of police constable Noor Alam, who was providing security for the team.
In response, police officers abandoned their posts and staged a sit-in protest at Maulana Abdul Sattar Chowk. The protest, driven by concerns over the safety of officers on duty, called for increased protection and improved working conditions.
District Police Officers (DPOs) intervened to persuade the protesters to end their demonstration, but the officers refused, insisting that the sit-in would persist until their demands were addressed.
