Polio teams attacked at 2 spots in Lahore

Polio teams were attacked at two separate locations in Lahore during the recently concluded national anti-polio campaign, raising concerns over the safety of frontline health workers despite large-scale vaccination success across the country.

Incidents of violence were reported in Lahore’s Harbanspura and Shahdara areas. In Harbanspura, eight people, including three women, allegedly assaulted a polio team during door-to-door vaccination.

According to police, the team in-charge of Union Council 44, Nadeem Ashraf, along with his staff, was tortured during the incident. Harbanspura police station registered a case following the attack.

A separate incident took place in Chaman Colony, Shahdara, where a polio team administering anti-polio drops was targeted. According to the FIR, Naeem’s wife Maria and her children allegedly beat the polio workers.

A case was registered under various sections at Shahdara police station on the complaint of polio in-charge Arifa Tahir. Despite the violence, anti-polio drops were administered in the area along with the team, as stated in the FIR.

Police confirmed that cases have been registered in both incidents and investigations are ongoing. Authorities reiterated that attacks on polio workers would be dealt with strictly under the law.

Health officials stressed that such incidents threaten public health efforts and endanger workers performing critical national duties.