Hangu (NWFP), Apr. 14 : The Taliban has stopped the polio vaccination drive in Hangu region by threatening to kidnap health officials if they go ahead with the campaign.

“Armed Taliban came here and told my three-member team to stop vaccinating children. We stopped work in the area immediately after the Taliban warning, and this is the reason the Taliban have not done anything so far,” the Daily Times quoted Khan Meer, head of one of the polio teams working in Darsmand, as saying.

The campaign was launched on Monday in Darsmand union council of Lal tehsil as part of three-day polio drive in Hangu and Orakzai Agency.

No health official had been kidnapped, but the campaign had been abandoned in one union council.

“I have given clear directives to the polio teams across the province to stop the drive in case the Taliban show up,” Gul Rehman, Head of Hangu polio drive, said.

Under this drive, polio vaccine was planned to be administered to 83,674 children in the agency and 92,418 children in Hangu. (ANI)