Another family sets dog on polio worker

Incident takes place in DG Khan a day after a similar attack was reported from Shikarpur

DERA GHAZI KHAN: A family in Dera Ghazi Khan set their dog on a polio worker after refusing to have their children immunised against the crippling virus on Thursday.

According to details, Shehzad Baig, a resident of the Mohalla Juttanwala neighbourhood of Dera Ghazi Khan, and his family did not allow polio worker Nasreen Kausar to administer polio vaccination drops to their children when she approached them.



When Nasreen informed Shehzad and his family that they would be arrested if they refuse to let their children be immunised, they set their dog at her. Nasreen was injured as a result and was taken to the Taunsa Tehsil Hospital.

Following the incident, deputy superintendent of police (DSP) in Taunsa, Javed Akhtar Jatoi, reached the scene of the attack. He said a case has been filed against Shehzad and his family.

Locals say Shehzad and his family are very influential in the neighbourhood and had an old dispute with Nasreen.

Thursday’s incident was the second such to take place in a span of two days. On Wednesday, a team of two lady polio workers were attacked by dogs, which, a local journalist claimed, were unleashed on them in order to stop them from carrying out their duties. The incident took place near village Ghar Pehanja situated in Amrot Sharif area of Shikarpur.

Reports said dogs started chasing the polio workers as soon as they entered the village. The polio workers hardly managed to escape the animals after they took shelter in a house.



Another lady polio worker was also injured in Shikarpur on Wednesday after gunmen opened fire on her while she was returning home after administering polio drops in the district’s Garhi Yasin area.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2016.