In a major development, the Pakistan army was asked to assist the civilian government by taking over security of polio eradication teams in militancy-hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
A meeting was held Wednesday at the General Headquarter in Rawalpindi to coordinate details of the campaign with particular emphasis on security and access to affected areas.
Representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO), and representatives of the federal and KP government and the FATA secretariat attended the meeting.
The forum was informed about the current polio situation in the country and challenges being faced for smooth conduct of polio campaigns.
“On the directives of the prime minister of Pakistan, Army has been asked to support National Polio Eradication Campaign particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” said a statement from the ISPR issued shortly after the meeting.
The meeting also expressed the urgency for polio eradication imitative to save future generations.
The participants emphasised the need to take all necessary measures including improving the security situation to make Pakistan a polio-free country.
The meeting was told that Pakistan may face international travelling bans due to the highest number of polio cases worldwide and is one of only three countries where polio is still categorised as an endemic viral infection.