Tarik Ali Khan, Canadian High Commissioner to Pakistan, visited the National Emergency Operations Center where he was received by the Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Ayesha Raza Farooq along with core group members and representatives from UNICEF and WHO. The meeting focused on progress and ongoing needs in Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts.
Ayesha Raza Farooq acknowledged Canada’s long-standing support that has helped drive a 99 percent reduction in polio cases since 1994. She highlighted the vital role of more than 400,000 vaccinators who go door to door during each campaign, noting that over half of them are women. She also praised Canada’s leadership in promoting gender equality, a value closely aligned with Pakistan’s Polio Eradication programme.
Polio Eradication remained central to the discussions as National Coordinator Anwar Ul Haq provided an update on the current situation, reporting positive progress compared with last year. The High Commissioner expressed Canada’s continued commitment to protecting children in Pakistan and sought to better understand the operational challenges facing the programme.
The Canadian delegation commended the dedication of frontline workers, especially the thousands of women who work tirelessly to protect children from polio. ‘As we near eradication, sustaining momentum through continued collaboration and investment is vital to ensure no child ever faces paralysis again,’ Ms Raza Farooq said, reinforcing the shared responsibility to keep Pakistan on track.
The visit reaffirmed the shared vision between Pakistan and Canada to achieve a polio-free future for every child, stressing that ongoing support, coordination with partners such as UNICEF and WHO, and commitment to gender-inclusive field teams will be essential to complete the final steps of Polio Eradication.
