EU welcomes Pakistan's commitment to stop polio

ISLAMABAD: The European Parliament has took steps to support Pakistan in eradicating polio and protect medical aid workers in the country.

A Parliamentary resolution was passed in Strasbourg which called the government of Pakistan to 'develop a new strategy to protect aid workers'.

Chairman of the European Parliament Friends of Pakistan group, Sajjad Karim MEP, who co-signed the resolution earlier this week said, "The resolution which pushed through the European Parliament welcomes Pakistan's commitment to stop the transmission of the polio virus and supports the government's efforts to protect medical aid workers."

The country has faced many challenges in recent times, with devastating floods and now violence against international aid workers.

However progress is taking place to ensure that Pakistan will eliminate polio for all its citizens, a message received from Brussels, Belgium here on Friday quoted him as saying.

The British Conservative MEP said that Pakistan will soon be able to eradicate polio.

He said, "I strongly commend the government of Pakistan's National Emergency Action Plan (NEAP) for Polio Eradication in 2012 and I have the support of the EU behind me."

Sajjad Karim expressed the confidence that the government will do its upmost to protect humanitarian workers and ensure polio is wiped out of Pakistan.