Ehsan snubbed the interior minister for claiming that the TTP had nominated Adnan Rashid as member of the Taliban negotiation team. PHOTO: AFP
MIRAMSHAH/ ISLAMABAD:
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Friday denied any involvement in attacks on polio workers, which have killed 21 people since December, but confirmed it opposed the vaccination as ‘un-Islamic.’
The outlawed militant group last year banned polio vaccinations in the tribal region of Waziristan, alleging the campaign was a cover for espionage.
“We have no link with the attacks on polio teams,” TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan said.
“We have very strong reservations against anti-polio vaccines because they are un-Islamic and bad for health,” he said.
The TTP spokesperson said Pakistanis do not need ‘sympathy’ from the United Nations, which funds vaccination programmes, while US drone strikes target Taliban and al Qaeda operatives in the tribal regions along the border with Afghanistan.
Polio cases in Pakistan hit 198 in 2011, the highest figure for more than a decade and the most of any country in the world, according to the UN. Afghanistan and Nigeria are the only two other countries were the disease is endemic.
Permanent polio counter built at Wagah Border
The Prime Minister’s Polio Monitoring and Coordination Cell has established a permanent polio counter at the Wagah Border immigration post after India recently threatened to impose travel restriction on Pakistan due to the threat of the spread of the virus to other countries.
The counter has been established in the Customs and Immigration Hall aimed at vaccinating travelling children under the age of five against the crippling disease on a regular basis. The Punjab government is responsible for fulfilling the objective by deputing its vaccinators to ensure the children are vaccinated daily, according to official documents available with The Express Tribune.
However the Passenger Facilitation Centre (PFC) officials at Wagah Border have claimed that the provincial government is not fulfilling its objective.
“Since the establishment of the counter at the end of March this year, I have only seen the vaccinators twice at this place, they just came here and left after having a cup of tea with me,” said Malik Zafar Iqbal, an official at the PFC.
He added that he had not seen any vaccinator giving polio drops to any children at the border even once.
An official at the PM’s Polio Monitoring and Coordination Cell said that since the permanent polio counter was built at the border, there has been no headway made in terms of deputing permanent polio teams and no data of vaccinated children has been shared by the Punjab Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) department.
The official said that the cross-border transmission of the virus was a stark reminder of risks associated with the failure of eradicating polio in Pakistan. The outbreak of polio in China in 2011 was traced back to the circulation of the virus in northern Sindh.
When contacted, Executive District Officer (Health) of Lahore Dr Inamul Haq denied the claims and said that vaccinators were inoculating children on a regular basis, not only against polio but also against other preventable diseases.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2013.
COMMENTS (19)
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I wish one of his kids gets polio than he may realize what he is talking about!!
Taliban are an extremely untrustworthy enemy. They have a reputation of making and breaking deals. I feel eliminating taliban is a far more pressing issue for the country. We can fight polio later. It's disgusting to see the photograph of this murderer printed in the paper.
@Imran:
David!
Don't you get it. Its the US's fault. Pakistan and pakistanis are just pure as the driven snow.
Now, now, don't hurt yourself laughing that hard. Personally speaking, blockade the country and let them stew is what I'd think.
David the issue here for not supporting vaccination is not that its "un-islamic" but when you target a leader of any organization whether Islamic or Non-Islamic by using such means then its justified for them to stop all such means which could again create such a situation as was created in OBL case. That's all precuationary measures:) @David_Smith:
Yes, the whole world knows they are peace workers, working in the difa of Pakistan.
Could some Islamic scholar explain why is vaccination "un-Islamic"?
Oh I see, neither you TTP is involved in attack on Polio team neither involved in any other attack anywhere.....
Now Taliban have been no more trustworthy and credible because on various occasion Taliban have broken their commitments and promises and Taliban have confessed the bomb blasts in and near the mosques and innocent and sinless people's homes and shops and if the mosques and innocent and sinless people's homes and shops are insecure and unsafe from the Taliban's terrorism then how polio vaccination teams can be secured and protected from Taliban's barbarism.This is why this Taliban's statement is absolutely and no-doubt untrustworthy and incredible.....
What a drama is being played here! TTP is toying with everything from gas installations, residents, politicians, army checkposts, strategic assets to polio workers. What is the fate of our country?
Its out of my mind to understand how ET put a cheerful murderer's photo on its website.
who can believe these days. mere statements an no journalist asked why is it unlawful in Islam to the TTP? News is so fabricated in main stream media.
Regardless of all the fanaticism surrounding the vaccination in religious countries.I also wonder, when will we ever be thankful for all the scientific advances that countries like US make and organizations she funds to benefit the countries it inadvertently yields hatred from.
@Enlightened: How precise you are. The TTP is having the last laugh. These gun toting, bomb blasting turncoats are the anathema to the country and a nemesis to progress. Their words do not carry any weight from one yard to the other. Salams
Yes, it is a misinformed notion that vaccine cause infertility/autism but let's not discount the fact that the biggest setback to vaccination programs in Pakistan in recent times remains the fake vaccination scheme that was run by Dr Afridi, even of it was for the better. It has made a lot of people question the very purpose of vaccination.
By the way, this vaccination scare isn't just Afghanistan or Pakistan's problem, look for Mormon Belt in US and you'll find out how the misinterpretation of the religion adds to the problem at large.
The point is that the veracity of vaccination is unquestionable but is our public educated( in both the religion and the worldly education) or aware enough to make well-informed choices in its favor remains to be seen. + The areas with good literacy rates show impressive vaccination cover and hence kind of prove the point!
The photograph says it all as TTP is having the last laugh in all threats and statements issued by them. One should not be surprised a statement is issued in future that they never killed anyone or carried out bomb blasts in Pakistan.
Sure.they just committed suicide
yeah, lets blame the ESTABLISHMENT like the Baluch do
Can someone explain how the polio vaccine is possibly 'bad for your health'? There is an extremely low statistical probability of infertility and/or potentially life-altering side effects, but the benefits far outweigh the risks.
Were it so bad for health, then most countries would have been plagued with vaccine-related health problems, which is not the case.
Furthermore, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria are the only countries where polio remains endemic. I imagine the Saudis and Iranians would have banned the vaccine were it deemed so insulting to Islam.
This stance is obviously linked to politics and the Afghan war rather than caring for the well-being of ordinary Pakistanis, and it is an utter shame that many innocents, some not even born yet are being held hostage by this conflict.
But using the smokescreen of religion and 'health concerns' is what is most frustrating, and that people can be so gullible.
Yes, lets believe the sweet and innocent Taliban.