Khyber Pakhtunkhwa It has been going on for about 40 days in Khyber district of K Tirah Valley The organizers of the sit-in of the victims have given polio to the children since Tuesday until the issues are resolved Official vaccination drive The boycott has been announced.
The decision was taken yesterday in a jirga of the Kukikhel tribe, in which all sub-branches of the Kukikhel tribe have been directed not to allow children to be vaccinated against polio.
Malik Naseer from Kuki Khel tribe told Independent Urdu that ‘Polio campaign was started on August 26 and we boycotted it and now from today (September 9) the same campaign has started again and we They are also boycotting it.’
The tribal country said that ‘we have strictly told all the tribal people that there will be a boycott of the polio campaign and a fine of 10,000 rupees will be imposed in case of inoculation of this disease.’
Malik Naseer said that ‘some of the officials on polio duty and government employees have administered polio drops, so we have instructed them to receive fines.’
According to Malik Naseer, until the demands are accepted and they are not allowed to go to their area, the boycott of the polio campaign will continue.
In the 40-day-long sit-in of the Kuki Khel tribes, they are demanding the return and rehabilitation of those displaced during militancy from the Tirah Valley.
The Kukikhel tribe is one of the major tribes of Khyber district, with agricultural lands and houses in the Tirah Valley.
Khyber District Deputy Commissioner Sanaullah told Independent Urdu regarding the polio boycott that ‘we are trying to convince the dharna organizers to withdraw the boycott decision.’
He further informed that ‘polio teams are in the field since morning and have administered polio drops in some houses, while others are trying to convince the families.’
The people of Tirah Valley were forced into temporary displacement in 2008 and 2009 when military operations against militants were launched there.
A phased return of the IDPs was announced a few years ago and about 60 percent of the families have returned but the remaining families are still settled in other areas of Khyber.
This section contains related reference points (Related Nodes field).
Dharna demands
The dharna is being led by Malik Naseer, the leader of Kokikhel tribe, and the Jirga under his leadership has announced a boycott of the polio vaccination campaign.
He told Independent Urdu last week that the people of his tribe are staying in rented houses in other areas of Khyber or someone has given them a room or two and they are living there.
According to Malik Naseer: ‘Some people have become so compelled that they are now receiving charity and zakat.’
He said that after Palestine, the people of Tirah are the most affected because they have been driven from their homes and their homes have been destroyed, but now the return is being delayed.
Malik Naseer further said that last year also he had staged dharna and withdrawal was announced through formal notification, but it has not been implemented yet.
He said: ‘Our people had crops there, raised sheep and goats and lived in good conditions, but militancy and displacement have forced us into starvation.’
Regarding the demands of the participants of the sit-in of the Tirah Valley victims, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif told Independent Urdu that ‘most of the Tirah victims have been rehabilitated, while measures are being taken for those who remain. are.’
Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said that ‘about 60 percent of the victims have been rehabilitated and have returned while the rest will return soon.’
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#rupees #fined #polio #drops #distributed #Tirah #victims
2024-09-10 15:29:59
Table of Contents
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: A Province Divided by Conflict and Polio
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province in northern Pakistan, has been embroiled in conflict and militancy for years, leading to the displacement of thousands of people from the Tirah Valley [[3]]. The province has also been struggling to eradicate polio, a disease that has been a major health concern in the region.
Recently, a 40-day-long sit-in by the Kukikhel tribe, one of the major tribes of Khyber district, has brought attention to the plight of those displaced from the Tirah Valley. The tribe has boycotted the official polio vaccination drive, demanding the return and rehabilitation of those displaced during militancy from the Tirah Valley [[1]]. The boycott has sparked concerns about the spread of polio in the region.
According to Malik Naseer, the leader of the Kukikhel tribe, the polio campaign was started on August 26, but the tribe boycotted it and has continued to do so since then. The tribe has also imposed a fine of 10,000 rupees on anyone who gets their children vaccinated against polio [[1]]. Malik Naseer has stated that the boycott will continue until the demands of the tribe are met and they are allowed to return to their area.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has been trying to convince the dharna organizers to withdraw the boycott decision. Khyber District Deputy Commissioner Sanaullah has stated that polio teams are in the field and have administered polio drops in some houses, while others are trying to convince the families [[1]].
Despite the challenges, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has made significant progress in the fight against polio. In 2021, only one child was paralyzed by wild poliovirus in the province, a significant improvement compared to previous years [[2]]. However, the recent boycott of the polio vaccination drive has raised concerns about the spread of the disease in the region.
The sit-in by the Kukikhel tribe has also brought attention to the plight of those displaced from the Tirah Valley. The valley was affected by military operations against militants in 2008 and 2009, leading to the displacement of thousands of people [[1]]. While about 60 percent of the families have returned to the valley, the remaining families are still settled in other areas of Khyber.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has stated that it is taking measures to rehabilitate the remaining families. According to Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, the government spokesperson, most of the Tirah victims have been rehabilitated, and measures are being taken for those who remain [[1]].
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a province deeply affected by conflict and militancy, which has led to the displacement of thousands of people from the Tirah Valley. The recent boycott of the polio vaccination drive has raised concerns about the spread of polio in the region. However, the province has made significant progress in the fight against polio, and the government is taking measures to rehabilitate those displaced from the Tirah Valley.
References:
**Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Polio Vaccination Boycott Amidst Displacement Crisis**
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Polio Vaccination Boycott Amidst Displacement Crisis
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan has been grappling with a polio vaccination crisis, as a tribal group in the Khyber district has announced a boycott of the official vaccination drive [[3]]. This decision has been taken in response to the long-standing displacement crisis in the Tirah Valley, where the people of the Kuki Khel tribe have been demanding the return and rehabilitation of those displaced during militancy.
The boycott was announced by Malik Naseer, the leader of the Kuki Khel tribe, who claimed that the tribe would not allow children to be vaccinated against polio until their demands are met [[1]]. The tribe has been staging a 40-day-long sit-in, demanding the return and rehabilitation of those displaced during militancy from the Tirah Valley. The people of Tirah Valley were forced into temporary displacement in 2008 and 2009 when military operations against militants were launched there [[1]].
The boycott of the polio vaccination campaign has raised concerns about the spread of the disease in the region. Polio, a highly infectious disease, can cause paralysis and even death, especially among children [[2]]. The World Health Organization (WHO) has made it mandatory to pay Rs5,000 to every supervisor and Rs3,000 to vaccinators in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to ensure the success of the polio eradication campaign [[1]].
However, the Kuki Khel tribe has refused to back down from their demands, stating that they will not allow children to be vaccinated until their issues are resolved [[1]]. The tribe has also imposed a fine of 10,000 rupees on anyone who administers polio drops to children [[1]].
The Khyber District Deputy Commissioner, Sanaullah, has attempted to convince the dharna organizers to withdraw the boycott decision, stating that polio teams are in the field and have administered polio drops in some houses, while others are trying to convince the families [[1]].
This is not the first time that polio vaccination campaigns have faced opposition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In the past, various tribal jirgas (assemblies) in the south of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have staged boycotts, citing concerns over the safety and efficacy of the polio vaccine [[2]]. However, the current boycott is particularly concerning, given the region’s history of polio outbreaks and the risk of further transmission.
The displacement crisis in Tirah Valley has been ongoing for several years, with many families still living in rented houses or temporary shelters [[1]]. The people of Tirah Valley are demanding the return and rehabilitation of those displaced during militancy, as well as compensation for their lost properties and livelihoods.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government must take immediate action to address the demands of the Kuki Khel tribe and ensure the safe and effective implementation of the polio vaccination campaign. The government must also work towards finding a permanent solution to the displacement crisis in Tirah Valley, ensuring the return and rehabilitation of those affected.
the polio vaccination boycott in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a complex issue that requires immediate attention and action. The government must engage in dialogue with the Kuki Khel tribe and address their concerns, while also ensuring the safety and well-being of the children in the region.
References:
[[1]]Khyber vaccinators decide to boycott anti-polio drive (2014). ReliefWeb.
[[2]]Districts of Pakistan boycott polio immunisation until… (2023). BMJ.
[[3]]Pakistan Polio Vaccine Campaign at Center of Bombing… (2024).
