QUETTA: The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced on Thursday suspension of its operations in Balochistan owing to security threats to health workers in the aftermath of an attack on a polio team near Quetta.
“We have been asked to restrict our movement inside the office,” sources in WHO said.
Further, they confirmed that the organisation’s workers and team leaders had not taken part in the emergency vaccination campaign in the city today.
“The WHO has suspended operations following security concerns,” sources confirmed.
The WHO officials in Islamabad refused to comment and said they are going to issue a detailed statement in this regard soon. Balochistan government officials also refused to comment.
International organisations in Quetta were already restricted to their offices due to security issues.
The decision by WHO to suspend operations, however, did not affect the resumption of the government’s seven-day emergency vaccination campaign against nine deadly childhood infectious diseases.
IG suspends two officers
Inspector General Police (IG) Balochistan Mohammad Almish suspended acting DSP Shalkot Shafqat Ameer Janjuaand and SHO New Saryab Noor Baksh on Thursday after an inquiry report was submitted on the killings of four polio workers in Quetta.
Both officers were suspended for being negligent in performing their duties since the attack took place within their jurisdiction. Four polio workers were shot dead in the outskirts of Quetta on Wednesday morning as they were on their way to kickoff an emergency vaccination campaign. Three lady health workers also sustained injuries in the attack.
“These two officers were held responsible for the security lapse,” a Balochistan police spokesperson told The Express Tribune.
An inquiry report on the deadly attack was submitted to the IG Balochistan earlier on Thursday morning in which the two officers were held responsible for the security lapse.
Police arrested 34 suspects – who are being questioned — during search operations carried out in different areas of Quetta, namely New Saryab, Baloch Colony, Mullahkhail and other adjoining areas.
Meanwhile, Balochistan Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti said an important disclosure is expected during the interrogation of the arrested suspects.