Taliban Attack WHO Official for Polio Drive
PESHAWAR: Suspected militants attacked the World Health Organization (WHO) Polio Vaccination campaign’s head Dr Aamir Nawaz at Takhtabad Daudzai in outskirts of Peshawar on Saturday morning. Police, however, denied that the attack was carried out by militants, saying that unknown gunmen had attacked. Last month, militants had sent a letter to the vaccination teams operating in Jugany area to stop their campaign forthwith, alleging that the pig fats had been used in the vaccine besides it was primarily aimed at affecting the fertility among the male children which could result in the shape of lower birth rate among the vaccinated persons. After receiving the letter the campaign was stopped in Jugany mainly due to security reasons. On Saturday morning, however, militants attacked the head of the campaign when he was visiting the area. “I was in my private vehicle when some people who were riding a bike chased me and asked me to stop the vehicle. When stopped they opened fire but I sped away the vehicle and it fell into the nearby canal,” Dr Nawaz told The Frontier Post, adding that he ran away towards the nearest fields and escaped from the scene while the attackers fired at him. “I informed police and all the 21 teams operating in the area about the incident after which police reached the area,” he added, saying that due to the Taliban threat 4000 children could not be vaccinated during the recent campaign in Jugany and in the future they were going to call off the campaign in Takhatabad area too. Dr Amir Nawaz denied the attack was carried out by outlaws, claiming that militants had sent them letter 20 days ago directing them to stop their campaign and he had informed police about it.