MIRAMSHAH, Jan 22: Four children died and scores of others were hospitalised on Tuesday due to outbreak of measles in South Waziristan tribal region.

Dr Ali Mohammad at Miramshah hospital confirmed that four children had died of measles, adding about 10 affected children were being brought to hospital every day from far flung areas of the agency.

Two children died in Dattakhel tehsil and one each in Machas camp and Dandi village, said Dr Ali, adding

the chilly weather had further aggravated the situation as the affected children were also suffering from pneumonia.

Agency surgeon Dr Azam told reporters that medical teams had been sent to the affected areas to cope with the epidemic. He said shortage of vaccines was hindering efforts to effectively arrest the disease and save the children.

PROTEST: Hundreds of armed tribesmen and students came onto roads in North Waziristan against the prolonged loadshedding of electricity. The traders closed their businesses to join the protesters.

The protesters led by Waziristan action committee president Khalilur Rehman and general secretary Sher Ali staged a sit-in outside the Miramshah Press Club. The protesters blocked the main Ghulam Khan road at Miramshah for vehicular traffic. The protesters said no goods will be allowed to be transported to Afghanistan via Miramshah unless their problem was solved.

INJURED: Four personnel of Tall Scouts were injured in a remote-controlled bomb planted by unknown miscreants on Tall-Spinwam road on Tuesday.

They were on a routine patrol on the road when explosion occurred. The injured were taken to CMH Miramshah in critical situation.