Wana Press Club president alleges he was denied access to a health-related meeting despite being formally invited through an official notification issued by the Lower South Waziristan administration.

News Article:

WANA: The president of the District Press Club Wana, Lower South Waziristan, has alleged that he was prevented from attending an official meeting on public health campaigns despite being formally invited through government notifications.

According to documents cited by the press club president, the Lower South Waziristan district administration issued two official notifications on Oct. 6, 2026. The president of the Wana Press Club was listed at serial No. 17 among the invitees.

The notifications concerned meetings related to the HPV vaccination campaign, September post-campaign polio activities and the November 2026 polio campaign. The meetings were scheduled for Oct. 7 at the DEOC conference hall at Lower Camp.

The press club president said that despite his inclusion in the official notification, he was not allowed to attend the meeting. He further alleged that his attendance was recorded before the meeting but that he was subsequently denied permission to participate.

According to his account, he was told that agreement with the administration’s policy, avoiding disclosure of certain matters to the public and supporting the administration’s position were necessary for participation. He alleged that he was told that disagreement would prevent him from attending the meeting.

He also said that he was later prevented from meeting officials and attending the session, allegedly on the grounds that the technical team was busy.

The allegations raise questions about media access, transparency and the role of journalists in covering public-interest matters, particularly health campaigns involving polio and HPV vaccination.

Media organizations can play an important role in public awareness and the dissemination of accurate information during vaccination campaigns. Access to relevant official briefings and meetings can also help journalists obtain information directly, ask questions and report developments to the public.

The press club president has called for the reasons for his exclusion from the meeting to be formally clarified. He has also sought clarification regarding the inclusion of the Wana Press Club in the Oct. 6 government notification and the procedure for its participation in the meeting.

He further called for an impartial inquiry if any journalist was asked to support a particular policy or refrain from reporting certain matters as a condition for access.

He urged the district administration and local media organizations to maintain professional communication based on mutual respect and transparency and said journalists should be given an appropriate opportunity to perform their independent and responsible role during major public health campaigns.

The press club president also stressed that disagreement is a fundamental democratic right and that public institutions should respond to questions through transparency, accountability and dialogue.

The allegations presented in this report are based on the account of the District Press Club Wana president. The district administration’s position has not been provided in the material available for this report and should also be presented to ensure a balanced account.