LANDI KOTAL: The health authorities in collaboration with the Khyber Agency political administration arranged a special daylong vaccination campaign in Landi Kotal, Jamrud and Bara tehsils after the death of two minor children due to the sudden spread of measles in some areas.

The health officials said death of a three-year-old girl from measles was reported three days ago in Akkakhel area of Tirah, while a nine-month-old girl died of the same disease in Sheikhmalkhel area of Landi Kotal.

They said health teams were dispatched to Sheen Pokh area of Loe Shalman and parts of Kam Shalman in Landi Kotal tehsil after local residents complained about the outbreak of measles.

The officials said vaccination campaigns were also conducted in parts of Jamrud and Bara, where cases of measles were reported.

An official of political administration in Landi Kotal said 800 children were vaccinated against measles in Landi Kotal by two teams.

He said the khasadar force personnel escorted those teams for their security.

The Jamrud health officials said they were closely monitoring the situation and were ready to tackle any emergency.

ANTI-MERGER PROTEST: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islami-Fazl activists along with some disgruntled Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf workers organised a protest here on Thursday against the Fata-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa merger plan.

On the occasion, JUI-F Fata general secretary Mufti Ejaz said his party would never allow the merger of Fata with KP as the plan was part of the US agenda.

He said his party would never allow anyone to usurp the legitimate rights of Fata people and would accept only the opinion of the ‘actual’ locals on the future of tribal areas.

The JUI-F leader asked the federal government to immediately abolish the Frontier Crimes Regulation and make Fata a separate province. PTI leader Zikria Shinwari urged his party’s chief, Imran Khan, to stop favouring the Fata-KP merger and support the status of a separate province for the tribal region.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2017