Former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has expressed grave concern over the travel restrictions and requested the WHO to review its decision.
“The imposition of travel ban will only increase Pakistan’s isolation and not advance the global fight against polio,” said Zardari in a statement on Tuesday.
The former president called upon the authorities in the federal and provincial governments to step up efforts to contain the spread of polio, and to use an iron fist against militants opposing polio vaccinations.
The polio spread has been caused in no small measure by the armed opposition to it by bigots, he said.
“The travel ban resulting in increasing our isolation should serve to remind everyone that the policy of appeasing militants will cost the country dearly,” he said.
“Militants opposing polio vaccination want to incapacitate the future generations and we owe it to our children to root out the extremists and militants before it is too late,” he urged.