LAHORE, June 6: Measles claimed the lives of four more babies in Punjab on Thursday.

Of them three children — two boys and a girl — died at Allied Hospital, Faisalabad, and one at District Headquarters Hospital, Mandi Bahauddin.

Sources said those who succumbed to measles at Allied Hospital were identified as two-year-old Husnain, son of Ansaar of Chak 219-RB, two-year-old Kishwar, daughter of Fareed of Jaranwala and four-year-old Sadam, son of Jaffar of Chiniot.

They said the condition of six more children affected by the disease was critical at the same hospital.

According to a spokesman for the health department, the death toll has reached 142 in Punjab, including 80 in Lahore, since January.

He said 226 more measles cases surfaced all over the province, including 43 in Lahore, during the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Nonehal of the Labour Qaumi Movement staged a rally in Faisalabad over the killing of the children with measles.

The rally comprising children and their parents started from the press club and ended at District Council Chowk.

The participants were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the government for not taking proper measures to stop the measles outbreak.Addressing the gathering, LQM Secretary Aslam Miraj, Baba Latif and Saira Shaukat urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to take notice of the killing of children and fix responsibility on the officials responsible for the deaths.

They urged the government to provide vaccination to the children to prevent more deaths and pay compensation to the parents of victims.