Polio worker’s killing: Teachers end boycott, vaccination resumes
Police arrest men trying to abduct two polio workers in DG Khan.
DG KHAN/FAISALABAD:
As the investigation into the murder of a teacher working in a polio drive in Faisalabad continues, the teachers’ union on Wednesday agreed to resume the campaign from Thursday (today). Separately, Dera Ghazi Khan police arrested men on Wednesday who were trying to abduct members of UNICEF’s polio team near Choti, Bhakkar.
The teachers had announced a boycott of the immunisation drive in the district after 48-year-old schoolteacher Sarfraz Ahmad was shot dead by two gunmen on Tuesday.
DCO Noorul Amin Mengal held a detailed meeting with representatives of the teachers’ union.
He assured them that all polio teams would be provided security cover. The teachers then agreed to end the boycott. However, they said they would start a protest movement if the killers were not arrested within 72 hours.
Sarfraz Ahmad, a resident of Warispura, had taught at Government Rehmania High School Peoples Colony No 1. He was assigned duty in the ongoing polio campaign in People’s Colony. On Tuesday, he had just started his work, when two gunmen riding a motorcycle stopped him and fired several shots at him. He was critically injured and later died at the DHQ Hospital.
Following the incident, other teachers participating in the anti-polio campaign stopped work and staged a protest sit-in at the Zila Council.
Ahmad’s funeral was held on Wednesday at D-Ground, Peoples Colony. A number of teachers and representatives of the administration were also present.
Investigation:
The People’s Colony police have registered a case against two unidentified attackers on the complaint of Ahmad’s brother Iftikhar.
Peoples Colony ASP Ali Waseem told The Express Tribune that there had been no breakthrough in the investigation.
“We are investigating the case from two angles: could it be the result of a personal enmity or was it a terrorist act? Some unidentified people had also fired shots at Ahmad three months ago,” Waseem said. “Two police teams are looking for the attackers,” he said.
In Dera Ghazi Khan
Police said Malik Naveed and Farhat Hussain were travelling to Bhakkar to monitor vaccine coverage in the area. They were stopped by a car near Upper Choti. Police said some men dragged Naveed and Hussain out of the car and into theirs. Ghulam Abbas, a constable accompanying them, informed the nearest check post. When the car arrived there, the check post police recovered Hussain and Naveed and arrested the suspects. Police said they were investigating the matter.
Separately, eight polio workers were issued show-cause notices and a lady health worker was suspended for negligence on Wednesday.
Dera Ghazi Khan DCO Nadeemur Rehman issued show-cause notices Dr Zahid Farid, Dr Muhammad Ibrahim, CDC Officer Basheer Ahmad and five polio workers for negligence and absence from the duty. He also suspended Anila Salim, a lady health worker, and ordered an inquiry under the PEEDA Act. The DCO said the deadline for the anti-polio drive had been extended so they could reach children in tribal and far flung areas. The campaign will continue till December 12, he said.
“It is our responsibility to eradicate polio. All non-government organisations and religious leaders should strive to make the drive a success.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 11th, 2014.
As the investigation into the murder of a teacher working in a polio drive in Faisalabad continues, the teachers’ union on Wednesday agreed to resume the campaign from Thursday (today). Separately, Dera Ghazi Khan police arrested men on Wednesday who were trying to abduct members of UNICEF’s polio team near Choti, Bhakkar.
The teachers had announced a boycott of the immunisation drive in the district after 48-year-old schoolteacher Sarfraz Ahmad was shot dead by two gunmen on Tuesday.
DCO Noorul Amin Mengal held a detailed meeting with representatives of the teachers’ union.
He assured them that all polio teams would be provided security cover. The teachers then agreed to end the boycott. However, they said they would start a protest movement if the killers were not arrested within 72 hours.
Sarfraz Ahmad, a resident of Warispura, had taught at Government Rehmania High School Peoples Colony No 1. He was assigned duty in the ongoing polio campaign in People’s Colony. On Tuesday, he had just started his work, when two gunmen riding a motorcycle stopped him and fired several shots at him. He was critically injured and later died at the DHQ Hospital.
Following the incident, other teachers participating in the anti-polio campaign stopped work and staged a protest sit-in at the Zila Council.
Ahmad’s funeral was held on Wednesday at D-Ground, Peoples Colony. A number of teachers and representatives of the administration were also present.
Investigation:
The People’s Colony police have registered a case against two unidentified attackers on the complaint of Ahmad’s brother Iftikhar.
Peoples Colony ASP Ali Waseem told The Express Tribune that there had been no breakthrough in the investigation.
“We are investigating the case from two angles: could it be the result of a personal enmity or was it a terrorist act? Some unidentified people had also fired shots at Ahmad three months ago,” Waseem said. “Two police teams are looking for the attackers,” he said.
In Dera Ghazi Khan
Police said Malik Naveed and Farhat Hussain were travelling to Bhakkar to monitor vaccine coverage in the area. They were stopped by a car near Upper Choti. Police said some men dragged Naveed and Hussain out of the car and into theirs. Ghulam Abbas, a constable accompanying them, informed the nearest check post. When the car arrived there, the check post police recovered Hussain and Naveed and arrested the suspects. Police said they were investigating the matter.
Separately, eight polio workers were issued show-cause notices and a lady health worker was suspended for negligence on Wednesday.
Dera Ghazi Khan DCO Nadeemur Rehman issued show-cause notices Dr Zahid Farid, Dr Muhammad Ibrahim, CDC Officer Basheer Ahmad and five polio workers for negligence and absence from the duty. He also suspended Anila Salim, a lady health worker, and ordered an inquiry under the PEEDA Act. The DCO said the deadline for the anti-polio drive had been extended so they could reach children in tribal and far flung areas. The campaign will continue till December 12, he said.
“It is our responsibility to eradicate polio. All non-government organisations and religious leaders should strive to make the drive a success.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 11th, 2014.