LAKKI MARWAT: Elders and government officials have agreed to launch concerted efforts to eradicate polio from Bannu division.
The commitment was made at a jirga meeting held in Domel area the other day.
Additional assistant commissioner Mohammad Zaman Khan Marwat, Domel tehsil council chairman Malik Israr Khan and elders from different clans were in attendance.
A health expert on the occasion said emergence of confirmed polio cases in North Waziristan district showed that people refused to vaccinate their children against the fatal disease due to propaganda and misconceptions about oral polio vaccine.
Additional assistant commissioner Mr Zaman said holding of jirga was aimed to sensitise elders to the usefulness of anti-polio drops for children. “The vaccine does not contain any harmful ingredients and is completely safe for children,” he maintained.
He said elders should use their influence to convince people not to refuse immunisation of their children against polio. The elders assured to cooperate with the administration and the health department to ensure immunisation of every child to save them from the crippling disease.
PROTEST: Office-bearers of Water and Sanitation Services Company’s employees union have asked the government to release financial grant to enable the firm to clear dues of its workers. The demand was made at a protest meeting held in Bannu city on Saturday.
The union’s patron-in-chief Razaullah Khan Qurashi, president Noor Ayaz Khan and others regretted that delaying tactics by the authorities to release the financial grant to the firm had added to the workers’ troubles.
They said delay in fund release could hinder provision of services to citizens.
DECLAMATION CONTEST: The district education department and boy scouts association arranged a declamation contest on Saturday in connection with the country’s 75th Independence Day celebrations.
Student from public sector schools took part in the competition held at the Government Higher Secondary School No 3, Michenkhel in the Lakki Marwat city.
Students and scouts highlighted the importance of independence in their speeches and received applause from participants. Cash prizes were distributed among the position holders.
ASSAILANT KILLED: Police killed an armed assailant after he along with an accomplice shot at and injured a cop in Naurang town the other day.
A police official said two armed motorcyclists opened fire on cops at a check point on the Kakki road, injuring a constable, Muhibullah.
He said the cops returned the fire, killing one of the attackers. The other managed to escape.
Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2022
