Pakistan Launches Second 2026 National Polio Vaccination Drive Under High-Level Security

Pakistan has launched the second nationwide anti-polio campaign of 2026. In February, the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) said that the first national anti-polio drive of 2026 was completed.

There are 7,500+ members of the police department (including female officers) working in a security capacity. All districts have adequate security arrangements in terms of police coverage due to the large number of police working in Central, East, West, South, Keamari, Malir, and Korangi. The police will provide the vaccinating staff with a secure environment to perform their duties without any fear of being threatened or interrupted.

The Karachi Police Chief has directed zonal commanders to oversee security arrangements directly and enforce a strict policy of vigilance. The timing for this action coincides with the rise of positive test results from 11 samples of polio taken throughout the city. All zones must remain highly alert at this critical time.

The anti-polio vaccination campaigns are ongoing in many other areas. In Bahawalpur, there is currently a four-day campaign to administer polio vaccinations to 813,000+ children, while Mandi Bahauddin’s target is 314,000+ children under five years of age.

Due to past cooperation, polio cases have seen a significant decline; however, conditional travel restrictions remain in place for both countries.