Although immunisation teams are not allowed in Waziristan, political administration has banned issuance of CNICs, passports. DESIGN: KIRAN SHAHID
Tribesmen in North and South Waziristan have become collateral damage in the war on polio.
While Taliban commanders have banned immunisation drives in both agencies, the political administration has refused to give residents government documents, including national identity cards (CNIC) and passports, if any child in their family is found unvaccinated.
Criticising the new policy, chief of the Uthmanzai tribe in North Waziristan, Malik Qadar Khan, said that despite the fact that polio workers were killed in Karachi and Peshawar, the government did not impose such restrictions there. “We are Pakistanis too, so why has the government resorted to this?” Qadir said, adding that they have held jirgas with political officials to look into their concerns, but no progress has been made so far.
South Waziristan Political Agent (PA) Shahidullah Khan, however, insisted that documents will only be issued after a person shows an authentication paper signed by a doctor verifying that his children have been administered polio drops. “The restriction is only for those people who intend to apply for fresh domiciles, CNIC and passports,” he added.
All efforts to persuade people to administer polio drops to their children have failed, he said, adding that polio cases are rising in the tribal areas.
On June 15 last year, Taliban commander in North Waziristan, Hafiz Gul Bahadur, banned anti-polio drives in the agency “unless drone strikes ended.” He also said that anyone who disobeyed these orders would be “held responsible for their actions.”
Following this decision, the Mullah Nazir group in South Waziristan also banned anti-polio vaccination in its agency on June 25.
After several unsuccessful negotiations with tribal elders, the political administration on directions of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) Secretariat on December 17, 2012 banned issuance of official documents to Wazir and Dawar tribes across the agencies.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has said it will set up a protest in Islamabad if a ban on issuing official documents by the North and South Waziristan administrations is not lifted.
PTI Chief Organiser Dr Bashir Ahmad Khan said the party will hold a hunger strike camp outside the Supreme Court of Pakistan and also hold rallies against the decision of linking the provision of obtaining CNICs and passports with polio vaccination.
The issue has been taken up with the Election Commission of Pakistan, which has requested the Fata additional chief secretary to explain the matter, Bashir said. No response has been given as yet, however.
“If the issue remains unresolved, our only option is to approach the Supreme Court against this injustice,” he said, adding “If the tribesmen are unable to get CNICs, how are they supposed to cast their vote?”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 10th, 2013.
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@ sher
This is the problem. when you are pushed a bit then you show your true intentions. You now denounce Pakistan and say you want Pashtunistan. I suggest pack your bags and just go and live in Afghanistan for a few days. You will come running back to Pakistan. The reason why Pashtun's got into Taliban's trap was that Taliban showed Pashtun's dream of a separate land. You may cry foul but everyone knows right from independence Pashtun's are the ones whom loyalty for Pakistan cannot be trusted. Still Pakistan believe that in principal Pashtuns are Pakistanis and they have equal rights as compared to any other Pakistani. But clear your own home of the Taliban mess first. Please. If you do it and then leave Pakistan to form your own Pashtunistan it will be great. Trust me people of Pakistan don't want to rule over other people who don't want to be part of Pakistan. Importantly Khyber Pakhtunkwa doesn't even contribute alot to Pakistan's economy. Pakistan's army has to be deployed there. That is a cost. With KP gone from Pakistan we will be better off. Moreover, your Pashtunistan will have to trade with Pakistan to get any goods. We will charge you double and make a lot of money on it.
Pakistani Documents, let ,e tell you, we never wanted to be part of Pakistan right from the start, keep your documents to yourself, let me assure you people, you will see an arms struggle from the Pashtuns to get Independence from Pakistan and creat great Pashtunistan, it will start in near future. As far as Vaccination is concerned, well its good to be vaccinated rather then die, but unfortunately people are are still dying through Drones, so what vaccinated or not people are still dying. If there is one drone attack in south Punjab on Punjabi Taliban and innocent people die then i will see what you can do, u would like to be vaccinated or would like the drones to be stopped.
i would like to ask people of Pakistan how come Hafiz gul bahadur and Maulvi Nazeer were pro Pakistan taliban because they very well know by banning polio vaccination will result in the isolation of Pakistan internationally as well as the young ones of tribals will loose their limbs due to polio. They are not only antitribals but also anti pakistan becuase Hafiz bahadur is the same person who had given shelter to Baitullah Mehsud and his fighters and now he hase given shelter, protection and arms to Uzbek terrorists and thug Hakeemullah mehasud who are attacking Pakistan's roads, markets, graveyards,mosques, shrines,polio health workers, airbases and even women also. Pti can shout for the people killed in drone attacks but what about the above incidents . They say we fear our workers will get killed by TTP then why do you want to rule Pakistan if you don't have leadership skills. Youth may be behind you but majority of them understand the difference between sincerity and hypocrisy. I salute to the 800 workers of Anp And bravest Bashir Billour. Pakistan people will never forget the sacrifice of it's fallen heroes and will nevr spare cowards who show hypocrisy.
In the future only terrorists will have polio virus?
If PTI wants to protest against this new restriction then it should take responsibility of increase in number of polio patients in tribal areas. I firmly believe this is a great strategy. When you travel to any country then you have to get vaccinations done. Similarly if tribesmen want to get Pakistani documents then they should ensure their children are vaccinated. I am all for taking this to another level that if these tribes don't allow vaccination then cut off food, electricity, education to them. This is like teaching human values to them. If they fear of getting impotent through polio vaccines then they better should live in a stone age.
Not only the tribesmen but whole of Pakistan is suffering because of these illiterate fanatics with their twisted ideology which is unacceptable to 90 percent people of Pakistan. How come half a million well equipped and trained army who vows to give a crushing blow to any external attack cannot defeat this rag-tag outfit creating mayhem in the whole country for the past four years ?
it is a harsh step but good one by not issuing passports and cnic and it is fact that PTI is playing politics on by undermining Pakistan's interest. If tribal leaders have banned polio vaccination, what does the PTI want ? international isolation of Pakistan? This clearly shows immaturity of PTI who dreams to be the leading Pakistan Party in polls.
Good. These tribals can't understnad any language other than that of "danda".