Polio Team Faces Resistance in Gharo as Villagers Demand Drinking Water

Gharo: A polio vaccination team encountered strong resistance in Abdul Razzaq Sammu village, where residents had decided to boycott the campaign until their longstanding demand for a drinking water supply was met.

As the team entered the village, a large number of residents, led by community leaders, blocked their way near the shrine of Bola Shah, raising slogans and refusing to let their children be vaccinated.

Community leaders, including Abdul Razzaq, Sikandar, Abdul Ghaffoor, and Dildar, told the polio team and local reporters that they had been facing a severe drinking water crisis for years. Despite repeated appeals to elected representatives, the deputy commissioner’s office, and the Public Health Engineering Department, no action had been taken to resolve the issue.

“We will not allow any polio team to vaccinate our children until this demand is met,” the villagers declared.

The tense standoff nearly escalated as local police prepared to intervene, but timely negotiations by Makli Town Committee Chairman helped diffuse the situation. However, after prolonged discussions failed to convince the villagers, District Council Chairman Hameed Panhwar joined the talks.

Eventually, Panhwar assured the residents that a water supply line would be installed in the village as soon as possible. On this commitment, the villagers agreed to end their protest and allowed the polio team to proceed with vaccinations.

The incident highlights the deep-rooted infrastructure challenges faced by rural communities and their increasing use of protests to demand basic amenities.