A file photo shows a woman holding her child as she walks past policemen outside a polio vaccination centre in Karachi on January 8, 2013. PHOTO: AFP/ FILE
In the first incident, two police officers providing security to a polio team were killed when unidentified men opened fire at them in Swabi.
The two policemen were riding a motorbike and were intercepted and attacked by at least four gunmen as they left Swabi town for Topi.
A senior local police official Muhammad Sajjad Khan said the pair had been deputed on security duty for an ongoing polio vaccination campaign the area.
An intelligence official also confirmed the incident, which brings the toll to at least 26 deaths since the June 2012 ban.
Bodies of the deceased were taken to a nearby hospital.
In the second incident, unidentified men on a motorcycle opened fire on a polio team working in a village in Jamrud resulting in death of one of the polio workers. The criminals, however, managed to get away.
The attacks come despite a recent fatwa by a prominent religious scholar, who urged parents to immunise their children against polio and other life-threatening diseases and said vaccinations were compliant with Sharia.
Gunmen have frequently attacked polio vaccination workers, accusing them of being Western spies and part of a plot to sterilise Muslims.
Pakistan is one of only three countries in the world where polio is still endemic, but efforts to stamp out the crippling disease have been hit by repeated attacks on health teams.
A global eradication campaign has reduced polio cases by 99.9 per cent in the last three decades, but it remains endemic in Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The disease is highly infectious and can cause irreversible paralysis.
Officials blame the violence and suspicions about the vaccine for a surge in cases. According to the World Health Organisation, Pakistan recorded 72 cases of polio this year compared to 58 in 2012.
New Delhi on December 11 had announced it would require citizens from Pakistan and other polio-affected nations travelling to India to take a mandatory polio vaccination at least six weeks prior to their departure.
Previous attacks
On November 30, a police official was killed and another injured when unidentified men fired at them in Peshawar. The police officials were providing security to the Gulshan Rehman team of polio workers administering the vaccine in the area.
On November 21, 11 teachers were abducted and Khyber official Niaz Ahmed Khan had said the militants who abducted them may have mistaken them for a polio team that had just left the school after giving polio vaccinations.
They were abducted from Khyber Agency and released on November 25. A tribal elder, speaking on condition of anonymity, had said that the militants freed the teachers on condition the government stop sending polio teams to the area.
On October 10, three khasadar officials of Khyber Agency, who were providing security to polio vaccinators, sustained injuries when a roadside bomb targeted their vehicle on Ring Road near Achini in Peshawar.
On October 7, two people were killed and over a dozen – including two polio workers – were injured in a bomb blast outside a dispensary in a village on the edge of Peshawar. They were scheduled to finalise security arrangements for the ongoing polio vaccination campaign in the area.
Two polio volunteers were also killed in Tapaini, Swabi on June 16. The two men were administering drops to children in the area.
On January 29, a police constable escorting polio workers was shot dead in Gullo Dheri, Swabi. On the same day in the neighbouring district of Mardan, a man took an axe to a lady health worker’s brother who was accompanying her for protection during the anti-polio drive; the brother was injured.
COMMENTS (37)
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@ Nope "When we know these vaccines are not Islamic", better judge the thing on the ground of "humanity" instead of "religion", i don't think you can prove these vaccines are inhuman.
I can make sense of the logical comments by people about polio. I fail to understand why people are blaming Imran Khan for every evil in the country including this tragic trend. I also fail to understand why people bring Islam into this. We need to educate our people & to assure them that this is not a repeat of what Shakil Afridi did. What is wrong with people? Try to use logic not write down biased opinions. For those criticising Mr. Khan- his resolve to lead the vaccination drive personally should be enough. This paper won't let my comments through as it appears ideologically opposed to Mr. Khan. May Allah guide us all.
We are saddened to hear that innocent lives were taken without any remorse. We send our heartfelt condolences and wish to see the culprits caught and punished to the fullest extent of the law.
Ali Khan
Naya Pakistan: Polio Wala Pakistan +++++++++++++++++++++++++ Where Polio Vaccinators and their protectors get killed by bullets.
If you don’t know what is going to happen, there is no way to stop it. Plan ahead for safety.If you don’t think it will happen to you, find the person who had it happen to them. Behind the wheel, anger is one letter away from danger. Accidents hurt – safety doesn’t.Keep safe and protected let us bring protection with us specially to our kids give them the safety all they need where ever they are we don't know what will happen next let us be responsible all the time check this out at http://safekidzone.com/#!/page_home.
When we know these vaccines are not Islamic , why on first place workers go there to kill themselves ?
@It Is (still) Economy Stupid:
its deen.
I meant immune in my earlier comment (not cure).
If polio drops are so bad then why did they eradicate polio from all the countries but three which refuses to take the drop. It is indeed a conspiracy, a conspiracy to eliminate the polio.
And they blame India for requiring the certificate.
@Jan Khan:
Have you ever heard of small pox? It was eradicated decades ago. Same way, Polio can be eradicated as well if three more countries take some serious effort. Either take the drops or face a travel ban?
@Peace and Prosperity:
"Imran Khan should also categorically deplore this brutal attack..."
He can't. He is too busy harassing truckers.
i am sure IK will never raise his voice as forcefully as he raises for drone attacks.
Heartbreaking. Shame on PTI for crouching down in fear. Appeasement of extremists, among other devastations, makes the lives of polio workers and the police less safe. Please wake up PTI and supporters. Please condemn these most reprehensible attacks. Please do something at least for the sake of the small kids who are at risk of getting infected with polio. Please.
@ Jan Khan
As if the whole world is under an obligation to cure each and every disease that is rampant in this country, and as if you and your ilk would stop seeing conspiracy in it if the world decided to help us tackle other diseases too.
Is killing of Polio eradication workers falls under Sharia law or stupidity law?
@ jan Khan you are right. Polio is an artificial disease created by zionists to target poor countries. The polio vaccine causes impotence as proven by the research done by Prof. Yamaka from Kazakhistan.
@Jan Khan:
Polio is "PANDEMIC" disease. It can spread among all the healthy people (children below 6) if unchecked and create a havoc. It is deadly. Unlike other major diseases like Diabates, HIV etc, they can spread though touch or through air. That makes Polio deadly. It can cripple healthy kids for life.
@Jan Khan: Wow, people like you are hopeless in the truest sense! Do you wonder why Pakistan is one of the only 3 countries where polio is endemic?! Do you wonder why our kids are still handicapped? Do you even know how this disease spreads? Do you even know, it can be cured if you get those drops! Ask someone suffering from polio, this may just answer your question!
But, yes, there are so many other diseases to work on! Why save a whole population from being handicapped?
My uncle is a polio worker and serving in Topi, may God keep him along with others safe & sound. Aamen
Isn't it a reaction of drones,mr.khan?
Respect to the brave soldiers of Pakistan. These people are true martyrs of your country and of humanity.
So many attacks on polio teams yet not even once the policemen escorting the polio team have managed to kill any attacker.
@ Jan Khan
People like you are the real bad luck of this country. Wise man!! Polio, if obce attacks, is never curable. Once crippled, nothing can undo it. So please hurry up take a gun and shoot some more polio workers and protecting policemen.
@Jan Khan: Polio has been mostly eradicated throughout the world with Pakistan, Nigeria (and perhaps Somalia?) being the only countries that still have outbreaks of polio.
If Pakistan does not immunize it's population and eradicate polio then Pakistanis all over the world will face travel restrictions due to polio's contagious nature and this will lead to more isolation.
Reply to Jan Khan: Since working with the Govt. and closely associated with the polio eradication program, I can say with authority that the program is wholly owned and funded by the federal and provincial governments. The Govt of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa allocated Rs. 407 million for 2013, and Rs. 512 million for 2014. The vaccine is procured by the federal government for which loan has been taken from Islamic Development Bank.The Deputy Commissioners lead the program in their districts because it is a national emergency. polio is causing serious threat to our children and at the same time it is affecting our economy. more and more countries are likely to impose travel restrictions on Pakistani nationals like India did the other day. The WHO and UNICEF are only providing technical support because of their expertise in eradicating polio in other countries. AND REMEMBER that WHO and UNICEF are provided funds BY THE Government of Pakistan, WHO and UNICEF are not NGOs and they are UN Agencies. No NGO is working in polio eradication. Shakeel Afridi ran a fake hepatitis campaign and NOT POLIO because in Polio no blood samples are taken.
Wake up and use your brain. Have some research.
@Jan Khan,
Why be an ostrich with your head in __? Unlike other diseases, Polio is one of the diseases that can be prevented by immunization. Why is it so important, talk to some who is crippled with polio..and you will know.
These officers are the REAL shaheeds.
@Last Word: Although you criticized the view point of all political parties to hold dialogue, I am glad that you used political parties instead of targeting just one. I am surprised as to why people only criticize Imran Khan and PTI on dialogue issue when all political leadership of Pakistan has shown consensus in APC atleast three times.
Is there any other solution except going in street and give polio vaccines. The government if mobilize people at Mahala level and give them the polio vaccines, they can do it on their own. In return ask for the record of the administered patients.
The only difficulty we are facing is the lack of birth certificate for all children. Lack of the certificate can provide a verification mechanism that how many children in this particular area are administered polio vaccines and how many still left.
And finally why the community on the polio day are not there to provide security to the polio team why only police ?
One fails to comprehend what political parties hope to gain by holding talks with such single track minded brainless lot, who refuse to understand or accept the spread of disastrous health hazards in the whole country as well as serious international implications which Pakistan would have to face for their ant-polio stand.
Shows the level of education of terrorists that they target health issues, very serious ones. To think Pakistan is the only country that has not eradicated polio in our planet, and these ignoramus gun toting madmen take it upon themselves to kill those who work tirelessly knowing their lives are at risk for the sake of young children's health - why not insist no dialogue until these senseless killings are ended. Indeed each health worker, policeman, woman whose life has ended tragically - why is there no justice for each one of them? Talking of the level of education of the extremists, perhaps our politicians too ought to consider each one of these lives lost senselessly, demand justice for them rather than all their efforts against drones that are eliminating even if not completely, the extremist menace from our geography. Please for once, get your priorities in the right order. The nation and more importantly, its citizens you are meant to serve, deserves better.
I am waiting for "polio is anti-Islam" fatwa from our 'brothers'. Brothers zindabad, true custodians of Islam! Polio is a Western manufactured menace propaganda, it does not make our kids handicapped! (sarcasm)
This is a very unfortunate incident and PTI must publicly condemn this attack. Imran Khan should also categorically deplore this brutal attack.
There are so many diseases, why is only Polio so important for NGOs? They spend millions of dollars to put drops in mouth of children to prevent one disease, what about other health issues? Why just one polio is so much important?