Muzaffarabad, June 23; Members of the Legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashmir belonging to different major political parties met in Muzaffarabad with Speaker Honourable Mr. Shah Ghulam Qadir in the chair and agreed to initiate a multi-party Caucus of MLAs to raise awareness about the significance of immunization and the fatal consequences of not immunizing children. Honourable Mr. Shah Ghulam Qadir, Speaker, Legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashmir declared his full support and cooperation to the initiative and urged MLAs to join the Caucus and tirelessly work to keep Azad Jammu and Kashmir a polio-free region. He also agreed to become the Patron of the Caucus to actively work with other MLAs to promote immunization in the area. MLAs present at the meeting filled out their membership forms for the Caucus and agreed to start a membership drive within the Assembly.

Earlier, PILDAT Project Manager, Mr. Faheem Ahmed Khan highlighted in his presentation the state of polio in different areas of Pakistan and steps being taken by the Government to eradicate the menace of polio from Pakistan. He also talked about the role that can be effectively played by the MLAs to carry forward the Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) programme.

MLAs agreed to convene the first formal meeting of the caucus during the next session of the Assembly. Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Naqi Khan, MLA and Minister for Health, AJK was unanimously elected as the convener of the Caucus.

A Parliamentary Caucus on the Promotion of Immunization in Pakistan has been established by the Members of the National Assembly and the Senate of Pakistan while PILDAT has facilitated the formation of Provincial Caucuses on Promoting Immunization in Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Similar caucuses in Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan are also in the process of formation.

MLAs who participated and became members of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Parliamentary Caucus on promotion of Immunization included:

Ms. Shamim Ali Malik, MLA (Special seat for women, All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference), Ms. Naheed Tariq, MLA (LA 3 All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference), Malik Muhammad Nawaz Khan (LA 8, All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference), Shah Ghulam Qadir, MLA (LA 38 All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference), Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Khan, MLA (LA 21 All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference), Muhammad Akbar Chaudhry, MLA (LA 34, Independent), Chaudhry Muhammad Ismael, MLA (LA 31, All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference), Chaudhry Muhammad Rashid, MLA (LA 29, Peoples Muslim League), Ms. Shazia Akbar, MLA (Women reserved seat PPP), Mrs. Nasreen Mazhar, MLA (LA 7, All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference), Ms. Mehrun-nissa, MLA (Women reserved seat, All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference), Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi, MLA (LA 17, All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference), Muhammad Saleem Butt, MLA (LA 35 , MQM), Farooq Ahmed Tahir, MLA ( LA 22, All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference), Sardar Ghulam Sadiq , MLA (LA 18 , PPP), Mian Abdul Waheed, MLA (LA 23, PPP), Syed Shaukat Ali Shah, MLA (LA 38, All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference), Muhammad Shafiq Jarral, MLA (LA 5, All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference), Hafiz Hamid Raza, MLA (LA 32, All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference).