GHALANAI: Mohmand Agency political agent Mahmood Aslam Wazir has asked the local tribal elders and ulema to play their due role in the eradication of polio disease from the region.

He was chairing a meeting which discussed issues related to the upcoming anti-polio campaign in the agency from Oct 24 to 27.

It was also attended by assistant political agents Haseebur Rehman, Abdullah Shah and Naveed Akbar, agency surgeon Dr Razaullah, agency education officer Saeed Gul and representative of other relevant departments.

Speaking on the occasion, the political agent urged the parents to cooperate with the polio teams.

“Polio drops are only for treatment of the crippling disease and no unhealthy things are included in the vaccine,” he said, adding that foolproof security would be provided to the polio teams in the tribal region so as to ensure that each and every child was vaccinated.

He also urged local social workers to create awareness of the disease and play their role in its eradication from Mohmand Agency. He assured the local administration’s full support to the campaign.

INTERNET SERVICE SOUGHT: The people of Mohmand Agency, including students and internet users, have demanded of the government to start 2G and 3G internet services in the area so that they can easily contact their relatives outside the agency.

They said that a mobile phone company had suspended their 2G services in the entire Fata, including Mohmand Agency, without citing any reason for the last four months.

When contacted, political Agent Mahmood Aslam Wazir also said that internet was important for students, government officials and other educated people and one could not ignore its importance in today’s life.

“I will ask the mobile phone companies to start 3G internet services in the area as soon as possible,” he said.

Wasim Khan, a student of government higher secondary school in Ghalanai, said that the suspension of internet service had been creating problems for the tribal people who used to frequently interact with their relatives living abroad.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2016