Tribal elders in a northwestern Pakistani region are taking extreme measures in an effort to bring electricity to their area, saying that as long as they have no electricity they won't vaccinate their children against polio.

Several hundred residents from villages in Lakki Marwat district staged a protest demonstration on June 10 and turned away polio-eradication teams.

Village elder Zaitullah Betanai told said that polio teams will not be allowed to go about their work until the central government accepts the villagers' demands.

"There is an electricity supply line but no electricity, and there is no electricity transformer in the area," Zaitullah said. "We have no mosquito kits and no spray against mosquitoes is arranged so far. Also, there is no ambulance in the area. We want the government to address the four demands immediately."

Lakki Marwat is a southern district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province that borders the tribal region of South Waziristan.

Local government official Gul Zardar said the administration had engaged in talks with the protesters to try find a solution.

"The political agent says he will not compromise on polio vaccination," Zardar said in a reference to the most senior official in Lakki Marwat. "All their just demands will be addressed. The elders are now discussing the situation with the political agent and we shall continue until their demands are addressed and ensure every child gets polio drops."