Pakistan urges EU to relax travel restrictions

Pakistan has urged the European Union (EU) to relax travel restrictions imposed on the country because of increasing incidence of polio, media reported on Wednesday.

During a meeting with a German parliamentary delegation on Tuesday, President Mamnoon Hussain called for relaxing the restrictions, a government official said.

According to the official, the president said that international community should be considerate and help Pakistan to work for eradication of polio virus, Dawn online reported.

The president said the main cause of the increase in the number of polio cases in recent years was terrorism because of which many tribal areas in the country were still inaccessible.

About the travel restrictions imposed on Pakistan, the president said: "Pakistan is not responsible for the situation, but the elements who caused the spread of terrorism in the region."

Attempts to eradicate the disease have been badly hit by militant attacks on immunisation teams since December 2012.

Militants claim the polio vaccination drive is a front for espionage or a conspiracy to sterilise Muslims.

Last year, the number of polio cases recorded in Pakistan soared to 306, the highest in 14 years.

--Indo-Asian News Service

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