KARACHI: Pakistani researchers working under government-approved projects have expressed confidence that they can develop a vaccine for coronavirus, but added that the process could take nine months or more.
As of Sunday, authorities said 50 people had died while 3,200 had tested positive for the virus in the country.
“We are actively engaged in vaccination development. It will be clinical trials on animals first and then humans... the process will not take less than nine months, could even take more than that.”
Dr. Javed Akram, who is leading a government-sanctioned series of clinical trials for the vaccine, told Arab News on Saturday.
Dr. Akram, who is also a Vice-Chancellor of the University of Health Sciences (UHS) in Lahore, said that the process began on Friday after Professor Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, Chairman of Prime Minister’s National Task Force on Science and Technology authorized him to lead the clinical trials for the vaccine, last week.
It follows a breakthrough by Pakistani scientists and researchers who detected a genetic mutation of the coronavirus through genome sequencing – a process which reveals the order of bases present in the entire genome of an organism and is an essential step in the necessary research for clinical diagnosis and the development of vaccines and drugs.
Since the breakthrough, Dr. Akram said they had conducted genome sequencing for the coronavirus in two separate trials, in Karachi and Lahore.
Experts say the studies reveal that the virus is mutative, which means that “it can adjust to local conditions” which are slightly different from Wuhan – the epicenter of the epidemic in China which led to the coronavirus outbreak, killing more than 65,000 and impacting more than a million people across the world.
“The process revealed that the sequence of this virus is slightly different from the Wuhan virus with few mutations,” Professor Dr. Saeed Khan, a virologist at Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) in Karachi, and a member of the team that conducted the trials told Arab News.
On Wednesday, DUHS said it had conducted the genetic sequencing of the virus – obtained from a locally-infected 15-year-old boy – by collaborating with the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) in Karachi.
Dr. Akram confirmed that the tests showed that the coronavirus’ strain in Pakistan was mutative but said that it was not “clinically significant.”
“We have also done (genetic sequencing) and (it was detected) that mutations of the virus are taking place, but they are not very significant because these changes are not major – only 3-5 percent mutations are detected,” he said.
The research further revealed that two types of coronavirus strains, S-Strain and L-Strain, are spreading around the world.
“The study shows that the L-strain was derived from the older S-strain. The genetic sequencing shows that the virus was L-strain that is more aggressive and spreads rapidly,” Professor Khan said.
DUHS now plans to develop the vaccines, which researchers say requires funding – a request for which has been sent to the relevant authorities.
“We want to develop a vaccine that would be effective for all strains of the virus,” Professor Khan said.
Pakistani scientists get government nod to develop coronavirus vaccine
https://arab.news/p8yxp
Pakistani scientists get government nod to develop coronavirus vaccine
- Researchers say process awaits funding, could take nine months or more
- Clinical trials conducted after experts detected a genetic mutation of the virus through genome sequencing
Qatar, Pakistan resolve to boost strategic, economic cooperation at Doha talks
- Both countries urge dialogue on Afghanistan amid renewed border tensions between Islamabad and Kabul
- Discussions focus on bilateral trade and investment, energy, defense, manpower and labor and culture
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Qatar on Tuesday agreed to deepen their strategic and economic cooperation during high-level talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Sharif’s office said.
Sharif visited Qatar along with a high-level delegation on the invitation of Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The Pakistani premier also held meetings with Qatar’s trade and defense ministers to discuss cooperation in various domains.
The visit came at a time when Pakistan is seeking closer economic engagement with Gulf partners amid its broader push to stabilize the economy and attract investment, while maintaining security and defense cooperation with key regional states.
During their meeting in Doha, PM Sharif and Qatar’s Sheikh Mohammed discussed bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and international developments, according to the Pakistan prime minister’s office.
“They reaffirmed the strong brotherly relations between Pakistan and Qatar and expressed satisfaction at the growing momentum in political, economic and institutional ties,” Sharif’s office said.
“Discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, energy, defense, manpower and labor and culture, with both sides stressing the importance of their task force to accelerate cooperation in all these areas.”
Pakistan and Qatar maintain strong trade and investment ties. In 2022, the office of Qatar’s emir said the Qatar Investment Authority planned to invest $3 billion in Pakistan, targeting sectors including transport, aviation, education, health, media, technology and labor.
Nearly 300,000 Pakistanis live and work in Qatar, according to Pakistan’s foreign office, with many employed in health, education, engineering and public services, as well as construction and transport. The two countries engage through forums such as the Bilateral Political Consultations and the Joint Ministerial Commission.
Sharif said he had productive discussions with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on how the two sides could transform their brotherly ties into mutually beneficial economic relationships.
“We also took stock of the regional situation,” he said on X. “Pakistan and Qatar will continue to work together for peace and stability in the region and beyond.”
DIALOGUE WITH AFGHANISTAN
Earlier, Sharif and Qatar’s Deputy PM Sheikh Saoud Al-Thani discussed the situation in Afghanistan and called for dialogue to support regional stability.
The meeting took place amid renewed tensions after Islamabad carried out airstrikes last week on what it described as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) targets inside Afghanistan. Kabul said the strikes killed civilians and vowed to respond to what it called a violation of its sovereignty.
“Regional developments were also discussed, in particular the situation in Iran and Afghanistan,” Sharif’s office said in a statement. “Both sides emphasized the importance of dialogue, de-escalation and collective efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.”
This was the second time in less than six months that Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan. The last strikes triggered heavy, weeklong clashes between the neighbors along their border before Qatar and Turkiye mediated a ceasefire between them in Oct. last year.
Separately, Sharif held meetings with Qatar’s State Minister for Trade Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed and a delegation of the Qatar Businessmen Association (QBA), highlighting Pakistan’s investment-friendly reforms.
He invited QBA members to explore opportunities in infrastructure, logistics, energy, agriculture, technology and export-oriented manufacturing, his office said.
