MIRANSHAH: As millions of rupees continue to be spent on the eradication of polio from the country, the viral disease continues to thrive and spread in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) amidst a ‘ban’ on vaccination imposed by the Taliban. As a result, locals have decided to turn to a local pir to find a cure for their children from the crippling disease. The Express Tribune.
KHAR: The elders of Mamond tribe in Bajaur Agency here on Wednesday vowed to support administration in preventing cross-border attacks and take strict action against the elements harbouring militants. Addressing a jirga, they threatened to target hideouts of militants in Afghanistan if they didn`t stop the cross-border attacks. Dawn.
PARACHINAR: A militant died in a suicide blast and a prominent tribal elder, Malak Saghir Khan, narrowly escaped a suicide attack near a security checkpost in Kurram tribal region on Wednesday. Sources said Malak Saghir was on his way near a security post at Zarmela, central Kurram Agency when a suicide bomber attempted to approach him. But the security personnel who were manning the checkpost opened fire on the attacker. Dawn, The Express Tribune.
PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has once again expressed concerns about delays in negotiations with the Taliban. The statement also mentioned civilian casualties of US drone strikes. The CM referred to a BBC report from last week where a UN investigation found that drone strikes had killed at least 400 civilians in Pakistan, far more than the US has ever acknowledged. The Express Tribune.
PESHAWAR: World Polio Day 2013 is being observed today. Approximately 1.3 million children have little chance of immunisation as compared to the rest of the children in Pakistan.
Without a doubt, the outbreak in these areas clearly threatens the children in the rest of Pakistan. In North and South Waziristan combined, an estimated 260,000 children have remained deprived of the polio vaccine since the ban on immunisation. The Express Tribune.
WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urged US President Barack Obama on Wednesday to end drone strikes in Pakistan`s tribal areas. Sitting next to President Obama in the Oval Office, Mr Sharif said he `brought up the issues of drones during our meeting, emphasising the need for an end to such strikes`. `I know the prime minister is very much committed to try to reduce this incidence of terrorism inside Pakistan and also wants to stop its export, the president said. And ahead of Mr Sharif`s visit, the US quietly decided to release more than $1.6 billion in military and economic aid that was suspended in 2011. Dawn, Daily Times, Daily Mashriq, The News.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani media on Wednesday urged the government to do more to show it is sincere about its desire to end US drone strikes in the country’s tribal regions. An Amnesty International report on the US drone campaign on Tuesday warned some of the strikes may amount to war crimes, though Washington insists they all comply with international law. Daily Times.
WASHINGTON: Dr Shakil Afridi, the CIA operative now in jail in Pakistan, became a hot potato as the much-awaited meeting between President Obama and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was held at the Oval Office. In a briefing, a White House spokesman called for the release of Dr Afridi and said the treatment he was getting in Pakistan was “unjust and unwarranted”. The spokesman said the matter will be raised in the Obama-Sharif meeting. Dr Afridi was the key person who spied on Osama bin Laden and confirmed his presence in Abbottabad, which led to his death in the US attack. The News, Daily Mashriq.
PESHAWAR: Over 40,000 cellphone SIM cards of Afghan telecom companies are operational in Pakistan and most of them are used in acts of terrorism, kidnapping for ransom and extortion.The information was placed before a Peshawar High Court bench by National Accountability Bureau, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday during the hearing into a case about unregistered SIM cards. Dawn, The Express Tribune, The News.
PESHAWAR: According to a Fata health department official, a total of 36 polio cases have been reported from the tribal areas: 15 from Khyber Agency, 15 from North Waziristan, 5 from Frontier Region (FR) Bannu and one from FR DI Khan. The Express Tribune.
PESHAWAR: Students of Kurram Agency have expressed concern over suspension of ration supply to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of Durrani camp and asked the government to fulfill its commitment and solve the problem. Speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday, Fata Students Federation`s Kurram Agency president Shaukat Aziz said that the government had promised to provide cash and ration to some 10,000 affected people, but failed to materialise its commitment. Dawn.
ISLAMABAD: “There is no substitute for security,” says Dr Sania Nishtar, former federal health minister, about motivating polio workers in the wake of several fatal attacks. The cardiologist believes in order to keep up with the fight against polio, health workers need to be motivated through greater institutional support. The new government has a historic opportunity to eradicate polio, provided these challenges are surmounted.”
Attacks on polio teams
December 18, 2012
Five polio workers were shot dead in coordinated attacks in Karachi and Peshawar. The incident caused WHO to halt vaccination activities for a second time in 2012
December 19, 2012
Hilal, a polio team member, was shot in Daudzai, Peshawar. Zakai and her driver Ayaz, members of a team, were shot dead in Trakha, Charsadda
January 28, 2013
A policeman escorting polio workers was shot dead by unidentified people in Swabi district
February 26, 2013
A policeman escorting a team was shot by unidentified men in Ghala Dher, Mardan
April 10, 2013
Two policemen escorting a polio team were shot by unidentified gunmen in Mardan district
May 28, 2013
Two polio workers died as result of firing by unidentified men in Badhaber, Peshawar
May 29, 2013
A mob lobbed stones at polio workers in Thal, Hangu, injuring one
June 16, 2013
Two health workers were shot dead in Padini, Swabi by unidentified assailants on a motorbike
July 7, 2013
A health worker was assaulted by two men for visiting their house to administer vaccines in Chichawatni, Multan
October 7, 2013
A blast in Garhi Mali Khel, Peshawar, targeting polio teams, killed a sub-inspector and two Suleman Khel peace committee members
October 10, 2013
Three khasadars from Khyber Agency protecting polio teams were killed in a blast near Achini
The Express Tribune.
