Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered federal health authorities and anti-polio teams to visit all four provinces to develop a coordinated strategy for eradicating polio within one week. The directive came on Thursday during a review meeting following the report of a new case in the Khyber district, which brought Pakistan's total cases for 2026 to nine.
The Prime Minister expressed concern over the recent cases and called for a more effective approach. He stated, “Achieving a polio-free Pakistan is a major challenge, but our determination and resolve are far stronger than this challenge,” and emphasized the necessity of a joint strategy involving provinces and all relevant stakeholders.
Specific instructions were given to the federal minister, minister of state, federal health secretary, and members of the anti-polio team to immediately consult with provincial chief ministers and chief secretaries. Following these consultations, officials are tasked with creating a national action plan within one week.
The Prime Minister also directed authorities to boost routine immunization coverage, especially in high-risk and polio-affected regions. He stated that the government's top priority is ensuring the security and continuous access of frontline workers during vaccination campaigns. He praised the efforts of these workers and law enforcement agencies, noting improvements in reaching security-sensitive and hard-to-reach areas.
Data presented at the meeting showed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported seven cases in 2026, with three each in the Khyber and Bannu districts and one in North Waziristan. The briefing noted that all cases from the Khyber district were linked to the poliovirus originating from Afghanistan. Sindh reported two cases, one each in Karachi East and Sujawal.
The meeting was informed that cross-border movement from Afghanistan remains a major factor in the spread of the virus. Conversely, Punjab has seen no new cases since February 2025, and Balochistan has remained free of new cases during 2025 and 2026. Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are also currently polio-free. Additionally, officials highlighted a decline in poliovirus detection in environmental samples from Sindh this year.
Authorities informed the meeting that measures are being taken to strengthen security for anti-polio teams and improve access to the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Federal Minister for National Health Services Syed Mustafa Kamal, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister of State for National Health Services Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, Prime Minister’s Focal Person for the Polio Eradication Programme Ayesha Raza Farooq, and other senior officials.
