GHALANAI: A union council polio officer associated with the World Health Organisation was shot dead by unknown persons in Ghazi Baig area of Haleemzai tehsil in Mohmand tribal district on Monday.

According to sources, the victim official, Wajid Khan, was on his routine duty in Ghazi Baig area near his home when unknown persons opened fire on him, injuring him seriously. He succumbed to his injuries while being shifted to the district headquarters hospital, Ghalanai.

After the incident, the local administration officials rushed to the spot and took a suspected man into custody and sent him to Ghalanai lockup for investigation.

Local polio workers, residents, political activists and relatives of Mr Wajid placed his body on the main Peshawar-Bajaur road at Ghazi Baig Bridge and blocked it to traffic to demand immediate arrest of the killers. They also offered the funeral on the road.

Local ANP president Nisar Mohmand led the protesters and confirmed that Wajid was killed during his official polio duty. He asked the local administration to register a case against those involved in the attack. The polio official was shot dead at about 10:45am while FIR could not be registered till the funeral at 6pm.

Additional deputy commissioner Syed Saiful Islam and assistant commissioner Upper Mohmand Waseem Akhtar reached the spot and held negotiations with the protesters. Later, an FIR was registered against the suspect Zubair Khan, a resident of Namdar Kor in Ghazai Baig, who was said to be a polio refusal case. It was said that Wajid had gone there to persuade him to allow vaccination of the children.

The local administration said that Abdullah, brother of the suspect, had been arrested while raids were being conducted to arrest Zubair.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2019