LAHORE:The Sunni Ittehad Council issued a fatwa (decree) on Wednesday in favour of anti-polio campaigns and said that the vaccination drops were not a Haraam (forbidden) substance.

The fatwa also deplored attacks on anti-polio workers and said that as far as religion and Shariah were concerned there was no harm in the administration of polio drops.

Muftis and ulemas (clerics) belonging to the sunni sect gathered on an appeal by the chief of the SIC, Sahibzada Hamid Raza and SIC General Secretary Haji Muhammad Hanif Tayyab, to issue a collective fatwa in favor of polio immunisation after conducting research and verifying facts over the issue.

The edict also said that not only were polio drops safe but it was the duty of every parent to administer polio drops to their children.

It added that hindering anti-polio campaigns was one of the worst sins. Attacking of polio workers was declared as an attack on humanity.

Moreover the decree added that some people wrongly use the name of religion while propagating false information regarding polio drops which was a deplorable act.

The fatwa clarified that polio drop never caused any handicap but in-fact prevented it from occurring.