Local militants Chief Hafiz Gulbahadar Ban polio in waziristan

Umar Daraz wazir

NORTH WAZIRISTAN: Local militants in North Waziristan has banned anti polio drops in North Waziristan saying that no child would take polio drops until and unless drone attacks are stopped. Said in a pamphlet issued by local militants head Hafiz gulbahadar in NWA.

It was stated in a pamphlet issued here on Saturday from the local Taliban chief Hafiz Gul Bahadar duly written on a paper bearing a letter head of local Taliban chief and was distributed among the people in MirAli and Miranshah markets.

“The chief of local Mujahideen, after holding a meeting with the Shuraa, has decided to ban polio drops in NWA until govt of Pakistan doesn’t stop drone attacks over the innocent people of Waziristan” said the theme of the pamphlet adding that US and Pakistan spends billions of dollars over a few drops of polio while on the other hand kills scores of innocent people by missiles, said in pamphlet.

The pamphlet further said that many children and women in Waziristan had become pray to drone attacks, “It is useless to save one while kill many” the pamphlet added.

It also expressed the concern of the local chief of Taliban that there is a possibility of spying for US as was seen in the case of Dr. Shakeel Afridi who worked for CIA in the guise of polio campaign and caused killing of Osama Bin Laden.

The pamphlet also said further that most of the people in Waziristan were psychiatric patients due to the unceasing flights of drone planes over the areas of NWA.

Serious threats were also issued in the pamphlet to those who were found administering polio drops to the kids in NWA.

Earlier, a Jirga of four local tribes of Deerdoni had also announced a complete boycott of polio drops as a sign of protest against non availability of electricity in the areas of Asad Khel, dosali, paryat and Saroobi.

“Our children are dying of hot weather and mosquitoes, it doesn’t matter if polio causes death of some kids” said Malik Mashaal Khan in an interview with FRC.

When this scribe contacted Director Health FATA Dr Fawad, he said it will be a great loss as already NWA was the most risky zone for polio, due trouble in polio campaign in past. He said each and every child should be vaccinated against polio for complete eradication of it, but if the ban imposed, it will create more dangerous situation regarding the health of children in NWA. He also said the affect of North Waziristan would be other parts of country and that the government should resolve it.

It is to be mentioned here that North Waziristan has been the most risky zone for polio and more than 17 cases had been registered during the last two years.

Local experts are of the opinion that if the ban remains uplifted for some time, the possibility of more polio cases cannot be ruled out.