Sad news has come from Pakistan’s biggest city as three polio vaccination workers have been shot dead. Looking back in history, we can clearly see the reasons behind this brutal act. In 2004, the government of Pakistan announced that there were only 30 cases of polio registered in the country, which is as low as in most developed countries. Since then, some groups in Pakistan have voiced that they don’t want polio vaccinations given to children, to prevent further risk of the disease. Since 2004, the ratio of polio patients is on the rise again.
It was unknown who committed this act, but the reason is clear that someone is not ready to make peace in the country. It has been said that the Taliban is against this vaccination, and they have gone publicly several times against the vaccination of polio in the tribal areas. This incident happened in Karachi where the law and order situation is worse than many other areas. Some analysts considered it as a target killing, but why would the health volunteers be targeted? Even in wars, the armed troops do not harm the Red Cross workers and let them work freely.
According to the people living in the city, they feel that the main reason of these target killings is to divert the attention of media from the hot issues of the country. The ruling party of the Karachi (MQM) is involved in target killing and the Supreme Court of Pakistan has asked the chairman of the party to appear in front of court. Some people do believe that this kind of target killing is meant to postpone the election in the country. The UN and World Health Organization (WHO) has stopped their workers with immediate effect to work on a polio campaign all over Pakistan. The chairman of the World Health Organization declares it unacceptable and unethical.
According to the polio workers in country, there have been many threats to them, such as people calling and asking them to stop the polio before they suffer the consequences. Now, four workers have been killed and there is a fear among the polio workers about their safety. They asked the government to provide them security if they want to continue the campaign in the country. There have been protests and rallies in the country in favor of the workers who have been killed by the unknown gunman.
The government of Pakistan has announced the package for the injured and dead workers. The families of the workers who died in the attack will receive five lac rupees, and the government will offer jobs to the family as well. Now there is strong need of motivation and encouragement or else Pakistani kids will have to fight against polio.
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