Officials said more than 5.2 million children were vaccinated on the first day of the campaign.

In Lahore, over 296,000 children received the vaccine, while Rawalpindi saw more than 200,000 vaccinated and Multan over 236,000.

The head of the anti-polio programme said stopping the spread of the virus is the top priority and noted that positive results of the campaigns are appearing in Punjab, with environmental samples turning negative.

Officials emphasised that parental cooperation is essential for a successful campaign.

They expressed confidence that the fight against polio is in a decisive phase and that the target of zero polio will be achieved in 2026.