SWABI: A three-day anti-polio campaign scheduled to begin here on Monday was postponed due to refusal of health workers to run it in protest against government’s failure to arrest the killers of Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) district coordinator Mohammad Yaqoob.

When contacted, district health officer Dr Niaz Mohammad told Dawn that the anti-polio campaign was scheduled to start on Monday but it was postponed till December 17.

“A few days back, I held a meeting with Deputy Commissioner Matiullah Khan where it was decided that the polio drive should be postponed till Thursday as the health and EPI staff had refused to run it over security fears after the killing of EPI official,” Dr Niaz said.

When contacted, Matiullah Khan also confirmed postponement of the anti-polio campaign.

After Yaqoob’s killing, the health and EPI staff had refused to run door-to-door campaign over security fears, agreeing only to vaccinate children inside the health centres.

PROTEST: The members of Tarbela Dam power house hydro labour union on Monday staged a protest at the entry point of the power house demanding adequate security for them. The union’s chairman Afsar Khan and general secretary Tanveer Ahmad led the protesters.

The protesters condemned manhandling of resident engineering and other employees at the Pattan power station in Bisham by MNA Sar Zamin Khan and his supporters. They lamented that the lawmakers and his accomplices forced their entry into the power station demanding royalty and jobs for his voters.

The protesters sought registration of FIR against Sar Zamin and his supporters and provision of security to Wapda employees.

Mr Afsar advised the MNA to seek jobs for his voters from the government and don’t harass the Wapda employees.

Tanveer Ahmad warned that if the government failed to meet their demands, they would stage more protests.

240 HELD IN JOINT OPERATION: The army and police conducted a joint search operation in Sheikh Jana, Parmulai Shewa, Asota and other areas of Razaar tehsil the other day, arresting 240 suspected persons, and recovering arms and ammunition from them, district police officer Javid Iqbal said.

He said a helicopter provided cover during the operation which began before dawn and continued till afternoon.

Mr Iqbal said the total number of arrested people during the three days of the joint operation had reached 700, adding the arrested people had been shifted to different police stations for interrogation. He said those not found involved in any unlawful activity would be freed.

He said 10 Kalashnikovs, four Kalakovs, 39 pistols, 27 magazines and thousands of rounds were recovered from the suspected people.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2015