THERE have been unending rumours propagated by a section of the media that Dr Shakil Afridi had conducted fake oral polio vaccination (OPV) to take DNA samples to hit his specific target that was OBL.

These rumours have made a negative impact on the polio eradication programme in the country. From May 2011 to date about 200 cases have been reported in the country. People of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of the country refused to administer drops to their children after these reports.

Allegations of fake polio vaccination are no more than an illusion, because this myth is far from scientific basis. WHO’s special envoy on the global polio eradication and primary healthcare, Dr Hussain A. Gezari, is of the view that the alleged fake immunisation conducted by Dr Afridi had nothing to do with polio campaigns as DNA cannot be collected orally.

Let me clear that Dr Shakil Afridi had conducted actual vaccination campaign. He served the nation. Some sections of society and media are deliberately highlighting this issue to hamper the polio vaccination campaign.

They are not serving the nation; they are playing their negative role.

In fact, they are helping to spread polio virus and polio cases in Pakistan.

It is surprising that those who are playing an active role in spreading polio virus in the country have gone scot-free. And a prisoner of conscience, ‘Dr Shakil Afridi’, is under custody of secret agencies.

I would appeal to parliament to take up this issue seriously.

Dr S. REHMAN Islamabad