Long before sacking, Babar Atta was accused of gross misconduct.

Byline: kasim abbasi

ISLAMABAD -- In March 2019, the National Health Services ministry had sought Prime Minister Imran Khan's approval to sack Babar bin Atta from the post of PM's Focal Person for Polio Eradication while issuing warning about the looming polio disaster in the country because of his reckless attitude towards polio eradication.

The Prime Minister's Office, however, ignored the ministry's warning which led to an alarming spread of polio cases in Pakistan as the global Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Polio eradication in its recent report has noted, 'Pakistan (Polio) programme is on failing trajectory, putting the rest of the global program at risk.'

Last week, Babar bin Atta resigned from the post stating that he had done so to look after his ailing father. Media reports, however, suggested that he was asked to resign due to growing complaints against him and the country's global embarrassment because of the surge in polio cases in Pakistan during the PTI government's tenure.

The TAG report warned that Pakistan's polio programme is failing because of i) Failure of coherent vision and unified strategy (one team), ii) Failure of national-provincial-district-UC management; iii) Failure of focus on effective, high-quality program activities; and iv) Failure to build trust with communities.

Official documents reveal that on March 12, 2019, the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination moved a formal summary for the prime minister, seeking de-notification of Babar Bin Atta as Prime Minister's Focal Person for Polio Eradication. Atta, who was earlier managing social media of Jehangir Tareen and the PTI, was appointed against this post on October 10, 2018.

A day after sending the summary for the prime minister for Atta's removal, the ministry forwarded to the PM's Office a two-page non-paper explaining the circumstances that in the ministry's view necessitate the denotification of Babar bin Atta as PM's Focal Person for Polio Eradication.

The non-paper. Available with The Nation, gives the following reasons:

1. The incumbent (Atta) since his nomination continues to project polio programme...