- Decision taken after banned outfit Jundullah claims responsibility for killing of polio worker in Faisalabad
- Punjab CM announces Rs 1m for victim’s family, says culprits ‘deserve no leniency’
After the failure of Punjab’s health apparatus teamed up with law enforcers to control spread of polio and provide security to polio vaccinators, the government has finally decided to involve intelligence agencies in the polio vaccination campaign, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The decision has come after the killing of a polio immunisation campaign volunteer in Faisalabad on Tuesday for which outlawed terrorist group Jundullah claimed responsibility.
Talking to Pakistan Today, State Minister for Health Saira Afzal Tarar said she held a meeting with Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan and also contacted the interior secretary following the killing of the polio vaccinator.
“We had a detailed discussion with the Interior Ministry. We know that all outlawed groups involved in attacks on vaccinators have gathered in Tirah; there is already a strategy in place to wipe them out and now the intelligence apparatus will also be involved,” she said.
FAISALABAD ATTACK:
The Faisalabad attack, which is just one of the many on polio workers in various parts of the country, took place in a residential block during the second day of a three-day- long polio immunisation campaign.
According to police sources, the incident took place in People’s Colony where unidentified gunmen on a motorbike opened fire at a health team.
A polio worker was critically injured in the firing incident and shifted to DHQ hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Doctor Rana Waqar Sadiq, a senior health official, confirmed the killing of a member of his vaccination team.
The deceased was identified as Muhammad Sarfraz, a school teacher at RehmaniaHigh School. According to polio team, the vaccinators were not provided any security.
This is first such incident in the city. The attack on polio team prompted health workers to boycott the immunisation campaign over security concerns.
JUNDULLAH CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY:
Following the incident, outlawed militant group Jundullah claimed responsibility for the attack.
Ahmed Marwat, who claims to be the spokesman of Jundullah, said polio workers would always be on the group’s hit list throughout Pakistan and that it would continue attacking them.
CONDEMNATION AND COMPENSATION:
Condemning the attack on the polio team and killing of the polio worker, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced financial assistance of Rs 1 million for the victim’s heirs. The CM also sought a report from Faisalabad regional police officer (RPO) and ordered immediate arrest of the culprits.
The CM ordered foolproof security for polio vaccinators and directed authorities to undertake all necessary steps to prevent such incidents in future, adding that the culprits “deserve no leniency”.
Adviser to CM on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique also visited the bereaved family in Faisalabad and announced compensation. Moreover, the DCO promised a job in the district government for the victim’s heir.
POLIO IN PAKISTAN:
Pakistan remains just one of the three countries where polio is still endemic and tops the list with cases for this year nearing 300. A weak bureaucratic structure and inefficient health apparatus have resulted in cases surfacing even in the relatively developed Punjab province, although the majority of cases surface in the country’s tribal belt and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Attempts to weed out polio have been badly hit by opposition from militants and attacks on immunisation teams have claimed 67 lives since December 2012 with militants claiming that polio vaccination is a front for espionage and a conspiracy against Muslims.
The Faisalabad attack shows that the militant groups have the capability to challenge the government’s writ in urban centres.
