Sindh Minister for Health Dr Sagheer Ahmed has said that internally displaced persons (IDPs) may spread polio in Sindh. One wonders if the learned minister is aware of the fact that his department is responsible for the already existence of the polio cases in Sindh despite millions of rupees spent on anti-polio vaccination campaigns during previous years.
At a function while replying to a question regarding a new case of polio in Tando Allahyar, the provincial minister said that contaminated water is also a cause of polio, especially in rural areas where clean potable water is very difficult to obtain, adding this virus can grow rapidly.
Now one wonders whether our learned minister can enlighten the audience, as to how the polio really spreads and why the vaccinations under the aegis of several foreign donor agencies during past several years remained unable to control the virus in Sindh leave alone Pakistan, as the minister has jurisdiction only in Sindh.
Furthermore one wonders whether he asked his counterparts in NWFP government regarding the polio campaigns and their ration of successfulness as NWFP has always been ahead of every other province in this regard prior to the unrest started last year. It is very unfortunate that we, the Karachiites, have such people among us who do not treat the families from Swat as brothers but rather baselessly level allegations.
Just imagine after a few years Karachiites being stopped at borders of Swat and other sight seeing areas for being terrorists and bearers of polio and God knows what other viruses but on the contrary we were always welcomed there while we even use to send them gifts in wooden boxes.
I guess if as a nation we demand apology for their allegations against brothers from Swat and Buner it would be very appropriate as the current difficulties they are facing are aimed at saving our future and generations to come as otherwise these people were quite happy having Taliban in neighbourhood while they were a threat for the rest of the country. We need to understand that they have sacrificed for us and are living in distress just to save Pakistan and future of Pakistan.