In a shocking incident that highlights the dangers faced by polio vaccination teams in Pakistan, police in Sindh province have arrested Ahmad Jakhrani, the main suspect in the gang rape of a female polio worker. The assault occurred last Thursday in Jacobabad during a door-to-door vaccination campaign. According to police official Mohammad Saifal, the victim was raped by three men after entering a house to administer polio drops to children.
The two other suspects involved in the crime are still at large, with police actively pursuing their arrest. A local police chief was fired for negligence, as he failed to provide adequate security to the victim during the campaign.
The case has sparked outrage across the country, as sexual assaults of this nature, especially targeting healthcare workers, are rare. The Sindh provincial government has vowed to conduct a thorough investigation. The victim’s husband was also arrested after he threatened to kill her and kicked her out of their home, accusing her of tarnishing the family’s honor by being raped. Police have since deployed protection for the victim, who is now staying with her relatives.
This tragic incident sheds light on the risks faced by polio workers in Pakistan, where violence against vaccination teams is not uncommon. Militants frequently target polio campaigns, promoting false narratives that the vaccinations are part of a Western plot to sterilize children. Pakistan, along with Afghanistan, remains one of the few countries where the spread of polio has not been eradicated. Despite decades of effort, 17 new cases of polio have been reported in Pakistan this year alone, jeopardizing the country’s progress in eliminating the disease.
The government is set to launch another polio vaccination drive in October, despite the mounting challenges.
