5 polio vaccination workers killed in Pakistan

5 polio vaccination workers killed in Pakistan

PanARMENIAN.Net - Five female Pakistani polio vaccination workers have been shot dead in a string of co-ordinated attacks - four within 20 minutes across Karachi, BBC News reported.

The fifth woman was shot and wounded in the city of Peshawar in the north-west and later died of her injuries.

A UN-backed programme to eradicate polio - which is endemic in Pakistan - has been suspended in Karachi.

No group has said it carried out the shootings, but the Taliban have issued threats against the polio drive.

"These were pre-planned and co-ordinated attacks in various localities which took place within a span of 20 minutes," Imran Javed, a police spokesman told the BBC of Tuesday's attacks in Karachi.

Earlier reports said a male health worker had been shot dead in Karachi on Monday, but officials now say his death was not related to the polio vaccination drive.

 Top stories
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive.
In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million).
The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot".
Partner news
---