SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN (Shia News Agency)
Pakistan polio workers are most vulnerable to the security risks. Number of polio workers have been shot dead.To start with, polio security risk managers must enhance coordination with the local administration and the police. Each settled district must be divided into a reasonable number of polio zones, either on the basis of existing administrative units or to accommodate an irregular population density. The number of religious seminaries and places of worship must be carefully counted and evaluated. Each street should have at least two local members (one male and other female) to assist the polio immunisation campaign team workers during door-to-door visits in order to diffuse any administrative-cum-cultural barriers and reduce access problems. Also each police station has criminal data that indicates crime pockets in its jurisdiction. The high crime corridors should be earmarked with a relatively high security deployment. Moreover, the detection of polio cases has become synonymous with a marked probability of the presence of TTP affiliates, sympathisers or financiers. Since the TTP have rejected polio immunisation campaigns in the populations under their control, they have exposed their social capital to counterinsurgents and deployment of security must be ensured in zones of high polio detection cases. Provincial civil intelligence agencies, like the special branch, must reinvigorate their social networks to generate actionable intelligence before the start of polio immunisation campaigns. All inaccessible regions must be indicated in order to make proper security arrangements for the protection of polio immunisation campaign teams. Discreet selection of experienced field officials must be made in order to coordinate and collate intelligence with all stakeholders. The deeper the intelligence penetration and broader the sweeping area, thebetter the security of polio workers in polio zones. To involve the federal government, the Intelligence Bureau may be deputed to countercheck the intelligence of local agencies. Army intelligence should be solicited and troops should be deployed in areas where a high probability exists of counterterror action taking place. Until such an action plan is implemented it is impossible to continue this campaign against fatal disease.
pakistan.shafaqna.com
