ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s health ministry said on Thursday that a group of experts working for the government had finalized their recommendations for the speedy procurement and deployment of COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it became available.
In an official handout circulated in Islamabad, it informed that these proposals would also be presented to Prime Minister Imran Khan during the ongoing month.
“The federal government has fast tracked processes for the provision of COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available,” said the statement. “In this context, technical committees working under the guidance of the National Command and Operation Center have finalized their recommendations … [which] shall be submitted to the prime minister during this month.”
The statement added that out of 10 vaccines currently developed by leading global manufacturers, six were already undergoing phase 3 trials.
“The committee has recommended engagement with Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) for support in procurement through co-financing,” it added. “It has also been recommended to the government to arrange finances for the purpose. Also among the recommendations is enhanced collaboration with China including in clinical trials of the vaccine and efforts toward indigenous manufacturing of the vaccine.”
Pakistan has already decided to participate in the phase 3 clinical trials to test a COVID-19 vaccine developed by a Chinese company, CanSinoBio, starting next month. According to senior health ministry officials, the trials, which will be carried out in five cities of the country, will assure preferential vaccine supply and pricing for the country.
“The priority groups for receiving the vaccination (as soon as it becomes available) will be vulnerable segments of the population,” the statement noted. “The committee has also recommended preparation of a deployment plan and arranging cold storage facilities for the vaccine. The infrastructure of Expanded Program on Immunization with additional resources is being recommended for deployment and delivery of the COVID vaccine.”
Pakistani experts finalize recommendations for speedy procurement of COVID-19 vaccine
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Pakistani experts finalize recommendations for speedy procurement of COVID-19 vaccine
- Government encouraged to work with Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization for procurement support and co-financing
- Health ministry says it will prioritize vulnerable segments as soon as the vaccine becomes available
Pakistan arrests suspect arriving from Cambodia amid crackdown on human smuggling
- Suspect worked at an “online fraud company” in Cambodia, later started smuggling people from Pakistan, says FIA
- Pakistan has intensified crackdown against human smugglers after hundreds of migrants drowned near Pylos in 2023
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Sunday said it had arrested a key suspect involved in smuggling humans who had arrived from Cambodia, alleging he was also part of an international fraud network.
The suspect, identified as Zainullah, was arrested by FIA officials when he arrived in the southern port city of Karachi from Cambodia.
Zainullah had traveled from Pakistan to Cambodia in September 2024, a press release issued by the agency said.
“He worked at an online fraud company in Cambodia and later became involved as an agent in recruiting individuals from Pakistan,” the FIA said.
The FIA said it recovered images of multiple individuals’ passports, payment receipts and bank transaction records after extracting data from Zainullah’s phone.
It said the suspect received money through personal bank accounts and a cryptocurrency account.
“The suspect has been handed over to the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle, Karachi, for further legal proceedings,” the FIA said.
“Further investigation is underway.”
Pakistan intensified action against illegal migration in 2023 after hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, drowned when an overcrowded vessel sank off the Greek town of Pylos, one of the deadliest boat disasters in the Mediterranean.
Authorities say they continue to target networks sending citizens abroad through dangerous routes, following heightened scrutiny at airports and a series of arrests involving forged documents.
Pakistan’s interior ministry said this week illegal migration to Europe has declined by 47 percent this year after its nationwide crackdown, saying that more than 1,700 human smugglers have been arrested in 2025.
