Man reportedly working for WHO’s polio team killed

DSP Qamar Ahmed says, “The victim was shot four kilometres away from campaign area."

KARACHI:

A 28-year-old man, identified as Umer Farooq, was gunned down in Khadim Hussain Solangi Goth in Gadap. One field worker of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) polio eradication campaign said that Umer was also a volunteer. But the coordinator of WHO’s polio programme in Pakistan, Dr Elias Durry, categorically denied this claim and said that the incident had nothing to do with the campaign, which began the same day Umer was killed.

DSP Qamar Ahmed said, “The victim was shot four kilometres away from campaign area. Umer’s family members claim he was jobless these days.” The officer said, however, that Umer had volunteered for WHO’s polio campaigns in the past, adding that the organisation’s officials came to the hospital he was being treated at because of his past affiliation.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2012.