LAHORE: Concerns are mounting over the government’s ongoing HPV vaccination campaign after Pakistan Pharmacist Lawyer Forum (PDLF) leader and public health advocate Noor Muhammad Mahar questioned the scientific and constitutional basis of the drive.
Addressing the media in Lahore, Mahar alleged that “forcibly vaccinating girls aged 9 to 14 years with HPV vaccine through government propaganda is a blatant violation of fundamental human rights.” He argued that Pakistan’s cervical cancer incidence is comparatively low and that applying Western vaccination policies in an Islamic society without local data is “unscientific and unjust.”
Scientific and Regulatory Concerns
Mahar highlighted Pakistan’s lack of internationally certified biological medicine testing facilities, claiming that vaccines supplied through global agencies such as Gavi and the WHO are not subjected to comprehensive quality checks within the country.
He criticized what he called “foreign-driven agendas,” noting that WHO sources a majority of its vaccines from India and warning that Pakistan risks repeating mistakes made during past polio immunization drives.
Human Rights and Legal Action
Citing constitutional guarantees of bodily autonomy, Mahar described forced vaccination as a violation of fundamental rights and parental trust.
The PDLF announced it will file a writ petition in the Lahore High Court next week, seeking judicial intervention to ensure transparency, voluntary consent, and independent scientific review of the HPV vaccine program.
HPV Vaccine Background
HPV (Human Papillomavirus): A sexually transmitted virus linked to cervical cancer.
Cervical Cancer: A potentially fatal disease affecting the lower uterus, often caused by persistent HPV infection.
Target Group (Girls 9–14 years): The vaccine is most effective before exposure to HPV, when immune response is strongest.
Older Women: May receive the vaccine up to age 26–30 in some countries, but protection is weaker due to prior exposure.
The federal and provincial health departments, along with international partners including WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi, maintain that the HPV vaccine is safe, preventive, and globally recommended to reduce cervical cancer deaths.
Next Steps
The Lahore High Court petition by PDLF is expected to request judicial oversight of vaccine quality testing, data transparency, and a halt to any coercive measures until concerns are addressed.
