United Nations, July 23 (ANI): The United Nations has condemned the recent killing of a local community worker in Pakistan who was part of a polio eradication initiative.

Muhammad Ishaq, who was shot and killed in the Gadap area of Karachi on Friday evening, had worked with the national polio eradication effort as a Union Council Polio Worker for several months, helping to plan and implement vaccination campaigns to protect vulnerable children against the disease, reports The Nation.

In a joint statement, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said they were deeply saddened by the killing, stressing that Ishaq was known for his dedication and diligence to immunise all children against polio.

WHO, UNICEF and all of the polio partners in Pakistan and globally express their deepest sympathy to his family for this tragic loss. The partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative remain committed to supporting the Government of Pakistan and the people of Pakistan in their efforts to eradicate this devastating disease, the statement said.

Polio immunisation activities were suspended in the Gadap area of Karachi last week after a shooting incident injured two WHO staff members who were supporting the implementation and monitoring of a vaccination campaign.

Currently, the highly infectious polio disease remains endemic in only three countries: Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. (ANI)