Deceased polio worker Ejaz left behind four children ─ two daughters and two sons. — Photo by author Her eyes welling with tears, Ejaz’s daughter — 14-year-old Rida Bibi — tells this reporter, "I cannot forget my beloved father.”
His 10-year-old son, Abdul Musawir sadly remembers, "My father used to love me a lot."
The children study in a nearby private school, but the terror-hit family complains of the low quality of education. "Their mother cannot afford the high fees of schools that provide a higher quality of education,” says Ayaz.
The provincial government had announced Rs2 million compensation for the bereaved family, but despite the passage of nearly a year since the attack, Ejaz’s widow has yet to receive the promised amount.
"The government has only provided Rs250,000 on an emergency basis. The authorities are yet to provide the remaining Rs1.5m so that we can provide better education to these children,” complains Ayaz.
Ayaz says that besides the provincial government, Unicef, the World Health Organisation and Rotary Club have also ignored the victims' families.
"They could at least support the education of the children,” says Ayaz.
Secretary Health Balochistan, Noor ul Haq Baloch, while taking notice of the delay in payment of compensation to the family assures all efforts will be made to ensure immediate payment. "I will personally look after this case", Baloch says.
Despite all odds, Ayaz Raisani and his family are committed to working with polio volunteers to eradicate the crippling disease from the country.
However, militants in Balochistan have repeatedly attacked polio teams and targeted volunteers participating in anti-polio drives.
In Quetta and other parts of Balochistan, security personnel escort polio teams during every immunisation campaign to ensure their security.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the two countries where polio is still endemic. At least six polio cases have been reported in Balochistan this year. The government has imposed an emergency across the province to eradicate the crippling virus.