Polio Vaccine Team Attacked by Mob in Balochistan; Multiple Injured

A polio vaccine team in Pakistan's Balochistan province was attacked by a mob armed with sticks and batons, injuring four people. The incident is part of ongoing violent resistance against vaccination campaigns, which have faced regular attacks in Pakistan, exacerbated by beliefs that the vaccines are un-Islamic.

In a troubling incident on Monday, a polio vaccine team in Pakistan's Balochistan province was attacked by a mob wielding sticks and batons, resulting in injuries to four individuals, including a female health worker and a policeman, according to local police.

The attack occurred as the team moved through the Chaman area, administering vaccines to children. Deputy Commissioner Raja Athar Abbas indicated that the assailants were part of a sit-in protest against the polio campaign. However, protest leader Sadiq Khan Achakzai denied involvement, insisting their demand was merely to make vaccinations optional.

In response, authorities have dispatched additional security teams to protect the health workers. Despite the violence, the polio campaign—which aims to vaccinate over 1.8 million children in 66 districts, including 14 in Balochistan—will continue with heightened security. This incident underscores the persistent challenges faced by polio eradication efforts in Pakistan.