BAJAUR: The local authorities on Wednesday postponed the ongoing five-day anti-polio campaign in three tehsils of Bajaur tribal district over security issues.

The decision to postpone the vaccination campaign in Lowi Mamond, War Mamond and Nawagai came a day after a policeman, Azam Khan, 27, was martyred when unknown assailants opened fire at him while he was escorting polio team in Kitkoot area of Lowi Mamond.

Talking to reporters on Wednesday, acting district health officer Dr Wazir Khan Safi said the anti-polio campaign in the three tehsils was postponed on the directives of the provincial health department on the proposal of the district administration over security concerns.

However, Dr Safi said the campaign, which started on Monday, would continue in rest of the district as per the schedule.

Meanwhile, the martyred policeman was laid to rest in his native Laghari village on Wednesday morning.

PROTEST: Residents of Dag Qala area of Khar tehsil on Wednesday held a demonstration against the delay in payment of compensation to them for their lands used up for construction of a road.

The protesters blocked the Khar Bypass Road for some time.

They said the district administration had promised payment of compensation within a month when it acquired land for the road about a year ago.

However, the demonstrators regretted that they had yet to receive the amount.

They protesters said that the road for which they had given their lands was about to complete, but the administration was yet to compensate them.

They said unnecessary delay in payment had worried them.

They demanded of the relevant officials to ensure payment of compensation within a week, or they would stage more protests.

The protesters ended the road blockade after Khar assistant commissioner Mohibullah Khan Yousafazai visited them and assured them of early payment of compensation.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2024