GHALANAI, Sept 3: The local authorities on Monday arrested a local cleric for refusing to administer oral polio vaccine to his children.

“The parents will have to face jail if they refuse polio drops to their children,” warned political naib tehsildar Shamsul Islam while talking to Dawn here. “One local religious leader Maulana Sakhi Jan, resident of Ghazai Kor area of Haleemzai tehsil, who had refused polio vaccines to his children, was sent to jail,” said Shamsul Islam.

He said that those, who were instigating others against polio campaign, would also face legal action. He said that the administration had issued strict directives to all the staff in the agency to support the polio campaign and take strict action against the parents, who refused administration of vaccine to their children.

MIRAMSHAH: The North Waziristan political agent has urged the tribal elders not to link polio vaccination with halt to drone attacks, as the decision has put lives of 161,000 children of the region at stake.

The Political Agent Siraj Ahmad Khan said this while addressing a representative jirga of tribal elders in tehsil Ghulam Khan near Afghan border on Monday.

The jirga included elders, ulema and large number of tribesmen of Gurbaz tribe.

The political agent also laid down foundation stone of a playground to provide opportunity for different sports to the youngsters. The PA urged the tribal people to play their due role in establishment of government writ in the region to put this backward area on the path of progress and development.

He said that huge funds had been allocated for development works to bring the region at par with other developed areas. He linked development with peace. He assured to resolve the issue regarding issuance of national identity cards, passports and domicile.

He said all developmental projects initiated would be completed forthwith and work on new projects would be started.

PARACHINAR: A three-day anti-polio drive will begin in Kurram Agency today (Tuesday).

About 102,000 children would be applied vaccinations against poliovirus in upper, lower and central Kurram Agency. About 405 polio teams have been formed to visit nook and corner of the agency and administer vaccines to children who are vulnerable to the deadly disease.

Apart from mobile teams arrangements have also been made for applying vaccines to children at checkposts, health centres and hospitals, agency surgeon Dr Mohammad Asghar Khan said.

Meanwhile, prominent social worker Zahid Hussain, 35, died after a snake bit him in Parachinar. He was taken to Parachinar but was referred to Peshawar where he succumbed.