National responsibility: Polio team caught in land mafia shootout

Police have been asked to ensure security for vaccinators

RAJANPUR/ MULTAN:

A polio team was caught in crossfire between two rival groups in Yazman, a sub-district of Bahawalpur, on Thursday.

Police said members of Polio Team 18 were performing duties in Chak 148-DNB, Kalarwala, in Cholistan when they were caught in a crossfire between two groups.

Members of the polio team took cover at a farmhouse in the area and informed the Health Department. Several departmental officers arrived at the scene after the firing ended. However, several members of the polio team refused to continue their work.

Health District Officer Attiqur Rahman has requested the Yazman DPO to investigate the matter.

He told The Express Tribune that the assailants had not targeted the polio team. “Two land mafia groups had fired at each other and the polio members had gotten caught in the crossfire.” He said it was likely that the assailants did not know they were polio workers. “However, I have requested security for our polio teams.”

Police said they had received information that one of the armed groups was led by Falak Sher Abbasi and the other by Zahid Mahmood Gul. They said they were investigating the matter and would ensure security for polio workers.

Faisalabad campaign

The City Traffic Police have stepped up efforts to raise awareness regarding the on-going polio vaccination campaign. CTO Sardar Asif said on Thursday that posters regarding the campaign had been plastered on all traffic police vehicles. Traffic wardens have been directed to talk to people about the campaign and distribute flyers to raise awareness about polio vaccination.

“The traffic police are working in coordination with officials of the Health Department. The wardens have been distributing handbills, brochures and pamphlets among peddlers, motorcycle drivers and motorists at their duty points in the city. “

In Rajanpur

DCO Zahoor Hussain Gujjar told Health Department officials on Thursday to focus on vaccinating children residing in the mountainous and riverine areas of the district.

Gujjar was reviewing progress on the second day of the on-going anti-polio drive.

Health officials informed the DCO that 70 per cent of the polio immunisation target had been achieved. They said they had set a target to vaccinate 380,171 children against the crippling disease.

“It is our national duty to inform everyone about the gravity of the situation and vaccinate all children under the age of five-years,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2015.