ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan have joined hands to launch simultaneous, synchronized anti-polio vaccination campaigns in September and October to curb the spread of the crippling virus, a senior Pakistani official confirmed on Thursday.
Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only countries in the world where polio remains endemic, with the former reporting 13 cases this year and the latter nine.
Polio is a highly infectious disease mainly affecting children under the age of five years. It invades the nervous system and can cause paralysis or even death. While there is no cure for polio, vaccination has proven to be the most effective way to protect children from the crippling disease.
“Pakistan and Afghanistan are simultaneously starting synchronized anti-polio vaccination campaigns from next month till December, with the first campaign starting on September 9,” Pakistan’s National Coordinator for Polio Captain (retd) Anwar ul Haq told Arab News.
Polio vaccination efforts in Pakistan have been hampered by the belief among many Pakistanis, particularly those residing in the conservative northwestern tribal areas, that the medicine is a Western campaign aimed at sterilizing the country’s population or a cover for Western spies.
In 2012, the local Taliban ordered a ban on immunization against polio in some tribal districts. Several policemen have been killed this year while on security duty during vaccination campaigns that are frequently targeted by militants. Dozens of polio workers have also lost their lives over the decades.
According to a document seen by Arab News, the first campaign will be conducted from September 9-13 while the second will take place from October 21-25.
Pakistan and Afghanistan previously collaborated in 2016 and 2020-21 to eradicate polio from both countries.
The official said these campaigns will be coordinated and synchronized through a joint coordination between the two countries.
“We had a video call with their coordinator as joint efforts are essential,” Haq explained. “If we conduct the campaign in Pakistan’s area but Afghanistan doesn’t do the same in its area, the virus could persist,” he added.
He said a look at the polio virus map and a study of its determinants, occurrence, and distribution showed that most of the cases were concentrated in Pakistan’s border districts.
“Out of the total 13 cases, nine are in these border areas as there is movement across both districts and across the border,” Haq explained.
He said if both countries would conduct these campaigns jointly or simultaneously, children on both sides of the border would be immunized against the infection.
Haq said the joint effort and coordination would help build herd immunity on both sides of the border, ensuring that the virus could not survive or spread.
“With this immunization, the virus, which typically survives in the gut, will not be able to persist and if the children are protected, transmission will stop,” the official said.
Pakistan’s former director general of health, Dr. Rana Muhammad Safdar, who also served as the head of the country’s polio eradication program, described the initiative as “great news” and an essential step, given the growing number of polio cases reported from both countries this year.
“Through joint efforts, this virus circulation will be curtailed, providing both countries an opportunity to get back on track and finish the job,” he told Arab News.
He said previous joint anti-polio programs conducted by Pakistan and Afghanistan did a “tremendous job.”
“This strategy allowed them to cover all mobile children moving across the border, which was a significant advantage, and due to this effective synchronization and collaboration, both countries benefited,” Safdar noted.
He said poliovirus circulation was reduced to “very small pockets” in both countries in 2021 due to the joint campaigns.
Pakistan, Afghanistan to launch ‘synchronized’ anti-polio campaigns next month — official
https://arab.news/5ypuk
Pakistan, Afghanistan to launch ‘synchronized’ anti-polio campaigns next month — official
- The virus remains endemic in only Pakistan and Afghanistan, with former reporting 13 cases and latter nine this year
- First anti-polio campaign will be launched from September 9-13 while the second one from October 21-25, says official
Pakistan PM blames ‘external hand’ for militant violence, urges coordinated action on security
- Shehbaz Sharif asks federation, provinces and army to formulate a security strategy at the earliest
- Military says security forces have killed 925 militants last year in 59,775 operations across Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday blamed external forces for the surge in militant violence in Pakistan, urging a unified approach involving federal and provincial authorities along with the military to tackle the crisis.
Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwestern Balochistan provinces witnessed a spike in deadly militant attacks last year. Groups such as the Pakistani Taliban and other militant and separatist factions have targeted security convoys, checkpoints and carrying out daily killings and kidnappings of law enforcement personnel and government functionaries.
Officials in Islamabad have frequently accused Afghanistan of enabling “cross-border attacks,” a claim rejected by Kabul, which insists Pakistan’s security challenges are an internal matter.
Pakistan has also pointed fingers at India for stoking unrest in Balochistan, an allegation dismissed by New Delhi.
“In certain areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, the conspiracies being woven against Pakistan involve an external hand,” Sharif said while addressing the apex committee meeting of the National Action Plan in the federal capital. “We are well aware of the countries providing assistance [to militant groups].”
The prime minister emphasized closer cooperation among the Pakistani authorities to defeat militancy.
“I would only request that if the provinces, along with the federation and the Pakistan Army, could make a plan,” he said. “I feel we have to discuss how to eliminate this [militant violence].”
Sharif stressed that Pakistan’s success in different domains depended on improved law and order and the complete elimination of militants.
“Unity of thought and action” among stakeholders, he noted, was essential to thwarting militant schemes aimed at destabilizing the country.
The meeting was attended by Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir, DG Inter-Services Intelligence Lt. Gen. Asim Malik, federal ministers and all provincial chief ministers.
Last month on December 27, military spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry reported that 925 militants were killed in 59,775 operations across the country in 2024, with the majority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Militant attacks have surged in Pakistan since November 2022, following the collapse of a fragile truce between Islamabad and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Ethnic Baloch separatists are also engaged in a decades-long struggle for independence, accusing the central government of exploiting the province’s natural resources.
Young Maphaka makes debut as South Africa win toss and bat 1st in 2nd Test against Pakistan
- The 18 years and 270 days old broke Paul Adams’ South Africa record of youngest Test player
- South Africa made three changes after sealing its place in June’s World Test Championship final
CAPE TOWN: Kwena Maphaka became the youngest South African to make a Test debut as the Proteas won the toss and elected to bat in the second and final Test against Pakistan on Friday.
The 18 years and 270 days old Maphaka broke Paul Adams’ South Africa record of youngest Test player, who played his first Test against England in 1995 at the age of 18 years and 340 days.
South Africa made three changes after sealing its place in June’s World Test Championship final with a dramatic two-wicket win in the first Test at Centurion inside four days.
Australia, India and Sri Lanka all still in the race for the Lord’s WTC final against South Africa in June. Australia could advance to face South Africa if it wins the fifth Test against India in Sydney.
“It’s hot and we expect the wicket to break up,” South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said at the coin toss. “We’ve had time to wrap around what we’ve achieved, the preparations for this Test have been the priority … a chance to finish off with a good note.”
Fast bowler Mohammad Abbas brought Pakistan close to its first Test win in South Africa in 18 years with 6-54 in the second innings at Centurion but tailenders Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen shared a half century ninth-wicket stand and quashed the visitors hopes.
The home team, which has six successive Test wins, opted to go with the express pace of Maphaka in place of Dane Paterson, who was dropped after picking up his second successive five-wicket haul at Centurion.
Corbin Bosch was left out after making a stunning Test debut in the first Test where he took a wicket with his first ball and then made a scintillating unbeaten half century in the first innings which gave South Africa a match-winning lead of 90 runs.
Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj has recovered from a groin injury and replaced Bosch. Opening batter Tony de Zorzi had a thigh strain and was replaced by Wiaan Mulder as the all-rounder recovered from a finger injury and returned to the playing XI.
Pakistan, which has won just two of its last nine Test matches in this WTC cycle, once again went without a specialist spinner. It rested fast bowler Naseem Shah and brought in left-arm fast bowler Mir Hamza.
“A bit less grass than usual, but we would have had a bowl,” Pakistan captain Shan Masood said.
Father of murdered 10-year-old Sara Sharif attacked in UK prison — report
- Urfan Sharif suffered slashes to his face and body which are ‘non-life threatening,’ police say
- Sharif, Sara’s stepmother Beinash Batool were jailed for 40 and 33 years for killing 10-year-old
ISLAMABAD: Incarcerated Urfan Sharif, who was jailed last month for the murder of his 10-year-old daughter Sara Sharif in the United Kingdom, has been attacked at Belmarsh prison in southeast London, British media reported on Friday.
Sara was found dead in August 2023 at her home in Woking, a town southwest of London, after what prosecutors said was a campaign of “serious and repeated violence.” She suffered injuries including burns, multiple broken bones and bite marks.
Sharif and Sara’s stepmother fled to Pakistan immediately after the 10-year-old’s murder, before being arrested in September 2023 at London’s Gatwick airport after flying in from Dubai.
The 43-year-old father is understood to have suffered slashes to his face and body that require stitches, British broadcaster Sky News reported.
“Police are investigating an assault on a prisoner at HMP [His Majesty’s Prison] Belmarsh on 1 January,” Sky News quoted a prison service spokesperson as saying.
“It would be inappropriate to comment further while they investigate.”
The 43-year-old suffered “non-life-threatening injuries,” a Metropolitan Police spokesman told the broadcaster.
Sharif, his 30-year-old wife, Beinash Batool, who was Sara’s stepmother, were respectively jailed in Dec. for 40 and 33 years for years of horrific “torture” and “despicable” abuse that culminated in the 10-year-old’s murder.
Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was found not guilty of murder, but guilty of causing or allowing her death and awarded 16 years in prison.
Pakistan arrests human trafficker for involvement in 2023 Greece boat tragedy
- Over 250 Pakistanis drowned when overcrowded vessel sank off the Greek coastal town of Pylos in June 2023
- The issue of illegal migration to Europe gained significant attention in Pakistan after a similar incident last month
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Friday confirmed the arrest of a human trafficker who was allegedly involved in a boat capsize off Greece that killed more than 250 Pakistanis in 2023.
Hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, had drowned when an overcrowded vessel traveling from Libya capsized and sank in international waters off the southwestern Greek coastal town of Pylos in June 2023. It was one of the deadliest boat disasters ever recorded in the Mediterranean Sea.
The incident highlighted the perilous journeys many migrants undertake, often driven by economic hardship, as young individuals seek better financial prospects by attempting dangerous crossings to Europe. More recently, another boat carrying illegal migrants capsized on Dec. 14 near the Greek island of Gavdos, killing at least five Pakistanis.
The issue of illegal immigration to Europe and its consequences gained significant attention in Pakistan after last month’s incident, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordering “intensified efforts” against human traffickers.
“Intelligence-based operation is underway against elements involved in illegally sending citizens to Europe via sea,” FIA spokesperson Abdul Ghafoor said. “An agent involved in [trafficking along] the Afghan land route was arrested based on intelligence reports.”
The suspect, Afsar Khan, who was arrested from the Haripur district in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, belongs to Afghanistan and is the brother of a “notorious” human trafficking agent, Qari Jan Muhammad, according to the FIA spokesperson.
The suspect was responsible for illegally trafficking Pakistanis via sea from Libya to Europe in 2023 and the FIA had found evidence relating to the crime on his phone.
On Dec. 27, Pakistani authorities arrested a woman along with two other human smugglers allegedly involved in last month’s boat tragedy.
“No one is allowed to play with lives of innocent people,” the FIA said, citing its top official in KP.
On Thursday, the FIA also issued red notices through Interpol for 20 foreign-based human traffickers involved in the 2023 Greek boat tragedy.
Pakistan province makes arrangements for safe travel to violence-hit Kurram district
- More than 130 people have died in the remote district since Nov. 21 in clashes over land, sectarian disputes
- On Wednesday, a council of tribal elders brokered a peace deal between warring tribes after weeks of efforts
ISLAMABAD: The government in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province is making arrangements to facilitate people in safely traveling to a remote district where sectarian violence has killed more than 130 people in recent weeks, a government spokesperson said on Friday.
Kurram, a northwestern district of around 600,000 people in KP, has been rocked by tribal and sectarian clashes since Nov. 21 when gunmen attacked a convoy of Shia passengers, killing 52.
The attack sparked further violence and road closures in the district and its capital Parachinar, restricting access to medicine, food and fuel in the area as casualties surged to 136.
A grand jirga, or council of political and tribal elders formed by the KP government, on Wednesday brokered a peace agreement between the warring Shia and Sunni tribes after weeks of efforts.
“Travel and security arrangements are being made for the convoy [of passengers] leaving on Saturday,” Muhammad Ali Saif, who speaks for the KP government, said in a statement.
The clashes had resulted in the closure of the only road connecting Parachinar with the provincial capital of Peshawar. Local media reported that the convoy would leave on Saturday amid stringent security by police and Frontier Constabulary (FC).
Under the peace agreement, both sides have agreed on the demolition of bunkers and the handover of heavy weapons to the authorities.
“Both sides will give a coordinated plan of action within 15 days for the collection of weapons,” Saif said. “The bunkers already existing in the area will be dismantled within a month.”
After the demolition of bunkers, according to the official, any party that launches an attack will be considered a “terrorist” and action will be taken against it.
Another point of the peace agreement said that a fine of Rs10 million ($35,933) would be imposed on those who violate the terms of the deal by using weapons against each other. It said that families who had been displaced due to the clashes in recent weeks would be rehabilitated.
Land disputes in the volatile district would be settled on a priority basis with the cooperation of local tribes and the district administration, according to the peace agreement. Opening of banned outfits’ offices would be prohibited in the district, while social media accounts spreading hate would be discouraged via collective efforts backed by the government.
