Aziz Memon inaugurates polio immunization post in AJK

Pakistan News & Features Services

Rotary International’s Pakistan National Polio Plus Committee, ably led by the versatile Aziz Memon, has intensified its efforts to eradicate polio and recently it has provided a couple of Permanent Transit Post (PTP) shelters upon the request of NEOC Islamabad to install at Kohala Check Post and Neelum Valley in Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK).

This is the maiden effort of its kind undertaken by the National Chair, Aziz Memon, and his team in the AJK. 

These two shelters were made up 20 feet long re fabricated containers to save polio workers from hard cold and rainy weather of Kashmir. 

The health department of the AJK had arranged the inauguration ceremony of a PTP shelter placed at Kohala check post which is located on river Neelum Bridge along with police check post. 

The local police was facilitating polio vaccinators at the post and ensuring to stop each vehicle till vaccination was completed.

A team of 14 polio vaccinators was working at this check post and average coverage is 350 children per day. 

The inauguration ceremony was attended by the functionaries of the World Health Organization (WHO), the local health department and the Rotary’s National Polio Plus Committee. 

The National Chair, Aziz Memon, inspected the re-fabricated shelter followed by visiting Police check post where he met with polio vaccinators and police officials.

He appreciated the best vaccination arrangements at the PTP and the role of polio workers to fight against polio.

Aziz Memon shares Karachi Gymkhana history with RI President

Pakistan News & Features Services

The President of Rotary International (RI), Ian Riseley, undertook a historic tour of Pakistan recently during which he held a number of high profile meetings including those with the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and the Governor of Sindh, Mohammad Zubair.

“I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Pakistan this past week. Pakistan is one of only three countries in the world with ongoing wild poliovirus transmission, alongside Afghanistan and Nigeria. It's critical that we continue our efforts to end polio so that no child is ever inflicted with this terrible disease,” the RI President observed. 

He highly appreciated the tremendous progress made by Pakistan Polio Programme by saying that “scientifically driven decision making with robust management and accountability mechanism shows that Pakistan is well on course to polio eradication and Rotary will extend continued support till the end of this mission. Together we will be able to make it across the finish line.” 

While he attended numerous meetings and sessions round the clock during what indeed turned out to be a whirlwind tour of Pakistan one piece of history which is likely to live longer in his memory related to the historic Karachi Gymkhana. 

The RI President 2017-2018, hailing from Victoria, Australia, was briefed about the history of the Karachi Gymkhana Cricket Ground by Aziz Memon, Chairman, Pakistan Polio Plus Committee, and a former Rotary Governor.

Both the Rotary leaders, sharing the common passion for cricket, were found engaged in a serious conversation about cricket, as the visiting RI President was informed by Aziz Memon about the memorable match staged at the ground, where they were standing, which paved the way for Pakistan becoming a Test playing nation. 

Belonging to Rotary Club of Sandringham, the RI President is a chartered accountant and principal of Ian Riseley and Co., a firm he established in 1976. Prior to starting his own firm, Risely had worked in the audit and management consulting divisions of large accounting firms and corporations. 

His firm specializes in income tax and management advice for individuals and small businesses. He has a master’s degree in taxation law and graduate diplomas in accounting and income tax. 

Riseley’s honours include the AusAID Peacebuilder Award from the Australian government in recognition of his work in East Timor, the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to the Australian community, the Distinguished Service Award and the Regional Service Award for a Polio-Free World from The Rotary Foundation.