Health Ministry restarted its polio vaccination campaign on Sunday under tight security, after several polio workers were killed. The campaign was cancelled after one attack on a polio vaccination team on 21 January in Karachi which left three dead, including two women. Health authorities announced that the campaign would restart in all 24 Union Councils of Karachi.
Authorities also banned motorcycles-a popular mode of transport for militants-for the day.
Deputy Commissioner for Karachi Central district, Dr Syed Saifur Rehman, said that his was a "high risk area".
"Around 6,600 children would be covered on Saturday in this area. Police forces from the two police stations were providing security, we had called extra forces in from the reserve police as well," he said.
Adding, "In addition, paramilitary rangers are also engaged in the security of polio workers. Under the cover of this security, polio workers are dispensing the (vaccine) drops to children."
Pakistan is one of only three countries where the polio virus is still endemic.
Militants oppose vaccination against polio and consider such campaigns a cover for spying.
They also claim the vaccine is intended to make Muslim boys sterile.
No group has claimed responsibility but Pakistani militants have killed several polio workers and the police protecting them in Karachi and elsewhere in recent months.
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