GHALANAI: Tribesmen of 25 disputed villages and elders of Aman Tabar, Hafeez Kor, Mazi Khel and Burkhan Khel tribes here have boycotted the upcoming anti-polio drive in protest against what they called vaccination teams consisting of non-local people.

Jalil Khan, a local tribal leader, told Dawn that tribesmen of disputed villages had boycotted the last three polio drives, and it would be the fourth time that they would boycott the campaign in protest against hiring of non-local people in the polio drives instead of the local tribesmen.

He urged the government to include local people in the polio teams instead of hiring people form Charsadda and other districts. The elders complained that there had been no development works in the disputed villages for last 25 years, adding schools and health units were in need of repairs.

They said they would not cooperate with polio teams and police in carrying out their responsibilities. The tribesmen made it clear that they would only accept the writ of the Mohmand Agency political administration.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2016