Pakistan suspends unvaccinated troops

A PAKISTAN province has suspended 70 paramilitary troops without pay after they refused to receive Covid-19 vaccines, officials said.

The group were suspended in southern Balochistan province last Wednesday (30) “after repeated written warnings and verbal requests” to get the jabs, said Habib Ahmed Bangalzai, a senior local official. “They will also not get their salaries,” Bangalzai added.

The troops from the Balochistan Levies, a paramilitary force that assists police with law enforcement, have direct contact with the public, the official said. Wali Breach, another senior government official, confirmed the suspensions.

The move comes after the national government advised all its employees to get vaccinated.

Balochistan authorities were last Thursday (1) due to implement a ban on unvaccinated people entering government offices, public parks, shopping malls and public transport.

Pakistan’s nationwide vaccination rollout has been ramped up in recent weeks with more than 350,000 doses administered on most days. Almost 16 million shots have been given to date, with China supplying most of the jabs.

Pakistan last week received 2.5 million doses of Moderna Inc’s Covid-19 vaccine from the United States, the Pakistani foreign ministry and the US embassy in Islamabad said. “These vaccines will give boost to the ongoing vaccination drive in Pakistan,” foreign ministry spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri posted on Twitter last Friday (2). “Deeply appreciate continued support by the US in our fight against the pandemic.”

The US donated the doses through the global COVAX facility, which aims to provide vaccines to developing countries. Pakistan also plans to purchase 13 million doses of Pfizer Inc’s vaccine before the end of the year, and the AstraZeneca Plc vaccine is also available in the country.

But concerns about the side effects, coupled with misinformation that the vaccines cause infertility or death within two years, have sparked some hesitancy.