Father of the Taliban deals blow to polio vaccination drive in Pakistan

“The people who are involved in this campaign, many agencies are involved, and
they are using it for their other causes.”

Pakistan
is one of three countries where the disease remains endemic. Only 22 cases
have been reported this year – compared with 59 in the same period in 2011 –
and hopes were high that the country could soon be declared polio free.

However, hard-line clerics have long opposed what they suspect is a Western
conspiracy against Muslims.

Their opposition meant health workers carefully cultivated moderate leaders,
who issued fatwas – or religious rulings – declaring vaccination to be in
line with Islamic teaching.

Mr Haq himself said he had convened multiple conferences with scholars to
examine the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed and consider the question.

“Islam teaches that if you see anything harmful in society you should help
eliminate it,” he concluded.

His is a powerful voice.

The alumni of his madrassah, Darul Uloom Haqqania, include Mullah Omar, the
head of the Afghan Taliban, and the leaders of the Haqqani network, a deadly
insurgent group fighting international forces in Afghanistan.

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