Officer threatened at gunpoint for 'unislamic' vaccine work
Case forwarded to Counter Terrorism Department
Many similar threats go unreported due to fear
In Pakistan's northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a polio vaccinator recently faced a life-threatening situation when terrorists threatened him in the Khyber District. Polio, a highly infectious disease that can cause permanent paralysis, remains endemic in Pakistan, making vaccination workers essential to public health.
Ali* has dedicated 15 years to polio eradication since 2009. Despite the vital nature of his work in protecting children's health, he became one of many vaccination workers who have faced violent opposition from extremist groups who claim the vaccinations are against Islamic teachings.
In an interview with Nukta, Ali recounted that while traveling to a polio workers' training session, he was stopped at gunpoint by two masked motorcyclists. "One of them was carrying a pistol, he asked me to stop administering polio drops to children, otherwise, they will shoot me in the head, because I am involved in 'unIslamic' activities," Ali informed.
"The masked men aimed to shoot me, but I denied working as a polio vaccinator. They then fled into the nearby mountains, warning they would shoot me if they saw me with a polio team again," he added.
Ali remains determined to continue his work without fear, hoping police will provide additional security to ensure the safety of all workers.
Case forwarded to CTD
When contacted, Station House Officer (SHO) Jamrud Shah Khalid confirmed Ali's complaint. "It's a terrorism case so the complaint has been forwarded to the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) for inquiry to ascertain the situation and take action against the culprits," Khalid added.
He stated that police provide security to all polio teams during anti-polio drives with extra deployment of officers to protect these workers.
According to the Pakistan Polio Eradication Program, Pakistan has recorded 59 polio cases in 2024 so far with 16 cases from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Polio teams under cloud of fear
Local journalist Izat Gul believes that it's the first reported case, but many workers fear reporting such incidents.
"Jamrud is a hotspot for frequent terror activities, with a worsening security situation. People often avoid reporting such cases out of fear of severe retaliation," Gul explained.
Security personnel inspect the blast site near a girls' school targeting police guarding polio vaccinators in Balochistan province. November 1, 2024.
AFP
According to data obtained from the Home Department of KP, eight polio workers have been killed and 12 injured in more than 20 attacks on polio teams this year.
The data also reveals that these attacks claimed the lives of 15 police constables deployed with polio teams during anti-polio drives, while more than 35 police personnel were injured.
However, neither the Federal Directorate of Immunization's Emergency Operation Center (EOC) nor the government's home department has compiled any data on threats to polio workers.
EOC's response to incidents
The deputy coordinator of EOC mentioned that enemies of the state aim to destabilize the country by targeting health workers.
A health worker marks the finger of a child after he receives the anti-polio vaccine.
Reuters
"We coordinate with deputy commissioners for further collaboration and the police to ensure an effective response, area clearance, and the smooth conduct of the campaign," he elaborated.
According to EOC policy, anti-polio drives are usually temporarily postponed and resumed based on police advice.
*The identity of the polio worker has been withheld for security reasons.
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