From regret to resolve: One KP father’s story challenges polio myths
PESHAWAR (APP): Every evening, as the sun dips behind the snow-dusted Koh-e-Sufaid mountains, 45-year-old Sajjad Ahmad wheels his younger daughter to the edge of a dusty playground in village Dheri Ishaq, Nowshera district where children play amid laughter.
The funfair starts when boys and girls chase a worn-out ball, their bare feet kicking up clouds of dust on the bank of River Kabul where parents watch them around.
Among them sits in wheel chair Kashmala Bibi (12), her arms stretched forward, eyes fixed on the game. Once, she tries to catch the ball like normal children she often fell of wheelchair and was reset by her father.
“At just two years old, Kashmala’s life changed forever and so did ours,” Sajjad said as his voice trembling. “It started with fever and pain in her limbs. Within days, he couldn’t stand. Doctors told us it was polio. Both his legs stopped working and crippled for entire life.”
He pauses, gripping the wheelchair handles tighter of her daughter. “We didn’t vaccinate him,” he admits quietly. “We believed the rumours. The lies about the polio vaccine. That guilt follows me every single day.”
Kashmala’s spirit remains unbroken even as her body betrays her. Sometimes, when the ball rolls close, she leans forward, loses balance, and falls from his wheelchair. “When that happens,” Sajjad said, eyes moist, “it feels like my heart falls with her.”
Kashmala’s story is not an isolated tragedy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is a stark reminder of how misinformation continues to paralyse children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one of the last strongholds of polio in the world.
According to the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) KP, a new polio case was recently confirmed in Torghar district, where a 12-month-old boy from Union Council Ghari tested positive for wild poliovirus type-1 (WPV1).
Pakistan had reported 31 polio cases of (WPV1) since of January 13, 2026 for year 2025 including 19 from KP alone that health experts describe as deeply alarming.
“Polio is highly contagious and irreversible disease and vaccination is the only remedy,” warned Dr. Riaz Malik, head of the children’s department at Government Pabbi Hospital.
“It can silently attack and permanently destroy a child’s future within days.”
He stressed that the oral polio vaccine (OPV) is both safe and lifesaving.
“Vaccines prevent up to three million deaths globally every year. Imagine how many Kashmalas we could save if misinformation didn’t stand in the way.”
He said in many underdeveloped and low-literacy areas of KP, rumours and mistrust continue to fuel vaccine refusal due to negative propaganda. In Kashmala’s case, it robbed her of a childhood and his father of peace.
“I talk to parents now,” Sajjad said. “I tell them my story. I beg them not to make the same mistake. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”
Polio is not just Pakistan’s problem but it is a global concern. Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only two countries where the virus is still endemic. In 2024 alone, 73 children worldwide were paralysed by polio, a sharp rise from just six cases in 2023. Environmental surveillance last September detected poliovirus in 44 sewage samples across Pakistan, indicating continued circulation.
Despite these challenges, health authorities insist there is still hope.
The first polio immunisation campaign of 2026 has been launched in KP, targeting around 6.5 million children under the age of five across all 38 districts.
Provincial health minister Khaleeq ur Rehman inaugurated the campaign by administering polio drops to children at Police Services Hospital in Peshawar.
Senior officials from EOC KP, UNICEF, WHO, and partner organisations attended the launch, reaffirming their commitment to eradication.
“Special measures have been taken in recent months to enhance vaccination coverage across the province,” Khaleeq ur Rehman said, appreciating the efforts of Chief Secretary KP Shahab Ali Shah in ensuring no area is left uncovered.
Addressing concerns about harsh winter conditions, EOC KP Coordinator Shafiullah Khan said vaccination teams remain on standby in snow-bound areas such as Upper Chitral, Dir Upper and parts of Malakand. “Campaigns will resume once roads are cleared and weather permits,” he added.
He also confirmed that polio teams have been deployed at registration points in areas experiencing migration due to winter or security operations, ensuring no child is missed.
Taking a firm stance against vaccine refusal, the health minister warned of strict action against parents particularly government employees who refuse to vaccinate their children.
“Disciplinary action, including salary suspension and termination, will be taken,” he said.
He urged the media to play its role in dispelling myths and raising awareness, warning that neglecting vaccination endangers not just individual families, but future generations.
As the evening shadows lengthen in Dheri Ishaq, Kashmala watches the game until the final whistle. Sajjad Khan turns the wheelchair back home, carrying a burden heavier than his years.
“If my story can save even one child,” he said softly, “then maybe my regret will mean something.”
