Security concerns: Diamer valley left out in G-B’s anti-polio drive

Search operation still ongoing to nab killers of officials investigating Nanga Parbat incident.

GILGIT:

A three-day polio vaccination drive started in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) on Monday, but Diamer valley had to be left out of the campaign due to security concerns, it was learnt.

The valley which shares a border with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Kohistan district has been plagued with back-to-back incidents of terrorism, including the killing of security officials.

“The decision has been taken by higher authorities and the vaccination campaign has been postponed for now,” said Expanded Programme for Immunisation (EPI) Provincial Programme Manager Dr Muhammad Iqbal. However, the campaign will start in a couple of weeks when the law and order situation improves, he added.

“At the moment, unrestricted movement of vaccination staff is not possible given that a search operation is ongoing,” said Dr Iqbal.

A massive search operation led by the army is underway in Diamer valley, with over 100 suspects arrested so far. The operation was launched after terrorists with links to banned militant outfits killed three security officials investigating the killing of foreigner trekkers and their local guide at the foot of Nanga Parbat in June this year.

Last year, the polio virus was detected in a child in Diamer valley where the government has planned to vaccinate over 42,000 children under the age of five.

With the exception of Diamer valley, the three-day polio vaccination campaign will be conducted in the remaining six districts of G-B where more than 171,000 children will be administered the vaccine.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2013.