Gunmen kill anti-polio physician in northwestern Pakistan
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani police say gunmen have killed a physician who was instrumental in an anti-polio drive in the northwestern city of Peshawar. Police said Monday that Dr. Zaka Ullah was gunned down over the weekend, when he was returning home after evening prayers. It is unclear whether the physician was targeted for his role in the country's anti-polio campaign.
Islamic militants have attacked vaccination centers and health workers taking part in anti-polio campaigns, which they view as part of a Western conspiracy to sterilize children or collect intelligence.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are among the only countries in the world where polio is endemic, but Pakistan has made some progress in recent months. According to the World Health Organization, more than 15.5 million children across Pakistan's highest-risk districts received vaccines last month.