BAJAUR: Residents of two villages in Lowi Mamund tehsil of Bajaur ended their boycott of the anti-polio campaign on Monday after the administrative officials promised them the early payment of compensation and assessment of the houses damaged during last year’s action against terrorists.

The residents of Mena Sulmankhel and Ghakhi villages, who had announced a boycott of the anti-polio campaign on Sunday after a meeting, on Monday agreed to allow the vaccinators to administer drops to their children after successful talks between elders and a team of the district administration officials,” a source in the district administration and residents said.

They told Dawn that residents had boycotted the anti-polio drive over non-payment of the promised Rs25,000 compensation and delay in the assessment survey of their damaged houses.

Nawagai assistant commissioner Irshadul Haq assured them that their issues would be addressed immediately.

The source said the official also asked the elders not to boycott the anti-polio campaign for any of their grievances, noting that polio was totally unrelated to those issues.

Meanwhile, the anti-polio campaign began across Bajaur on Monday under strict security arrangements.

A health official said over 260,000 children would be administered polio drops during the campaign.

PROTEST: An alleged assault by the family members of an ‘influential’ elder on another family in Lowi Mamund tehsil on Monday sparked a protest, as members of the affected family, including women and children, blocked a key road.

According to residents, family members of Mohammad Umar, including women and children, gathered on the Laghari-Inayat Kallay Road shortly after the incident occurred in the Tarkhoo area on Monday morning.

The protesters, who blocked the artery for a while, alleged that Ziaur Rehman, son of Malik Taj Mohammad, along with about 10 of his family members, beat up Muhammad Umar, who runs a medicines shop in Tarkhoo Bazaar, for unknown reasons.

The protesters condemned the act and also expressed concern over the police’s failure to take action against the ‘attackers’.

The protesters called on the deputy commissioner and the district police officer to take immediate action against the assailants.

The demonstrators dispersed after a team of officials from the Lowi Mamund police station assured them of arresting the assailants.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2026