ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s health ministry has said the country had not yet reported any cases of the “Indian strain” of the coronavirus considered to be responsible for a catastrophic second wave of the pandemic in its South Asian neighbor, while the prime minister’s special adviser on health said on Tuesday it was “incorrect” to say the government was only relying on gifts and donations of vaccine jabs to meet its demand.
India recorded more than 320,000 new cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday as a grim surge of illness and death ripped through the country.
Syed Sajid Shah, a spokesperson for the Pakistani health ministry, told reporters on Monday the country was still “safe” from the Indian variant while cases of the UK variant were being reported in Pakistan.
Pakistan has already banned land and air travel from India. Last week, it offered “relief support” to India as hospitals in the neighboring nation begged for oxygen supplies and coronavirus infections soared.
On Tuesday, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, Dr. Faisal Sultan, said the government was not solely relying on gifts and donations of vaccines and had a purchase plan in place, including contracts with three vaccine companies.
“To say that the government is waiting to receive vaccines as gifts is incorrect,” Sultan said, adding that the delay in the arrival of more vaccines in Pakistan was due to global supply shortages.
We have signed deals for 30 million doses, including a deal for technology transfer and joint manufacturing of China’s CanSino vaccine, the health chief said, adding that money was not a concern and the government was willing to spend.
“Many countries were not able to get vaccines despite advance booking,” Sultan said, giving the examples of Canada and Australia and adding that the government was also yet to receive vaccine jabs from global alliance COVAX, delayed due to supply chain issues.
He said the government had purchased three million doses of available vaccines by March 30 and two million people had so far been inoculated.
Pakistan says ‘Indian variant’ of COVID-19 not detected, denies only relying on vaccine donations
https://arab.news/nq8xg
Pakistan says ‘Indian variant’ of COVID-19 not detected, denies only relying on vaccine donations
- Heath chief says government has signed contracts for 30 million doses including technology transfer from China
- Says delays in arrival of more vaccines due to global supply shortages, two million people vaccinated so far
Pakistani, Bangladeshi officials discuss trade, investment and aviation as ties thaw
- Pakistan and Bangladesh were once one nation, but they split in 1971 as a result of a bloody civil war
- Ties between Pakistan, Bangladesh have warmed up since last year and both nations have resumed sea trade
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider on Sunday met Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka, the latter's office said on, with the two figures discussing trade, investment and aviation.
Pakistan and Bangladesh were once one nation, but they split in 1971 as a result of a bloody civil war, which saw the part previously referred to as East Pakistan seceding to form the independent nation of Bangladesh.
Ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh have warmed up since former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster as a result of a student-led uprising in August 2024. Relations remain frosty between Dhaka and New Delhi over India’s decision to grant asylum to Hasina.
Pakistan has attempted to forge closer ties with Bangladesh in recent months and both South Asian nations last year began sea trade, followed by efforts to expand government-to-government commerce.
"During the meeting, both sides discussed ways to expand cooperation in trade, investment, and aviation as well as scaling up cultural, educational and medical exchanges to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two South Asian nations," Yunus's office said in a statement on X.
In 2023-24 Pakistan exported goods worth $661 million to Bangladesh, while its imports were only $57 million, according to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan. In Aug. this year, the Pakistani and Bangladeshi commerce ministries signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a Joint Working Group on Trade, aiming to raise their bilateral trade volume to $1 billion in the financial year that began in July.
The Pakistani high commissioner noted that bilateral trade has recorded a 20 percent growth compared to last year, with business communities from both countries actively exploring new investment opportunities, according to the statement.
He highlighted a significant increase in cultural exchanges, adding that Bangladeshi students have shown strong interest in higher education opportunities in Pakistan, particularly in medical sciences, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence. Haider also said that Dhaka-Karachi direct flights are expected to start in January.
"Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus welcomed the growing interactions between the two countries and emphasized the importance of increased visits as well as cultural, educational and people-to-people exchanges among SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) member states," the statement read.
"Professor Yunus also underscored the need to further boost Bangladesh–Pakistan trade and expressed hope that during Mr. Haider’s tenure, both countries would explore new avenues for investment and joint venture businesses."
