KARACHI: Four individuals, including three brothers, were arrested in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi, for refusing to administer Polio drops to their children. The arrests were made following a case registered at Mobina Town Police Station on behalf of the Sindh government.
According to Karachi police, the refusal to administer polio drops led to tensions in the area, with reports of a police constable’s uniform being torn during the dispute. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to ensuring every child receives the lifesaving polio vaccine, emphasizing that legal action will be taken against those who refuse immunization.
The action in Karachi comes just days after similar vaccine refusals were reported in Quetta, Balochistan, where 90 individuals declined polio vaccination for their children, leading to the arrest of five parents. According to Deputy Commissioner (DC) Quetta, around 60 parents were later convinced to vaccinate their children, but those who continued to resist were warned of further legal consequences, including imprisonment.
The government of Pakistan, under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, launched the first nationwide polio eradication campaign of 2025 on February 3, aiming to vaccinate millions of children under five. The week-long campaign underscores the government’s unwavering resolve to eliminate the crippling disease, which continues to pose a serious public health risk in Pakistan.
Authorities are urging parents to cooperate with vaccination teams, emphasizing that polio drops are completely safe and essential for protecting children from lifelong paralysis. As Pakistan remains one of the few countries where polio is still endemic, aggressive immunization efforts and strict action against refusal are deemed critical in achieving eradication.