ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has administered more than five million doses of COVID-19 vaccines since it began the immunization campaign in February this year, announced the country's top health official in a Twitter post on Saturday.
"Let us reaffirm our commitment to the data driven, balanced response that has been the hallmark of the Pakistan Covid effort with dividends in health AND with economic good news [of] 3.94% growth," said the prime minister's advisor on public health Dr. Faisal Sultan.
Pakistan began the inoculation drive for frontline health workers and elderly citizens after receiving its first batch of Sinopharm vaccine from China, though it later expanded the program and is currently inoculating people aged 30 or above.
Apart from getting these COVID-19 shots from China, a private Pakistani company also imported 50,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine.
Earlier this month, the country received 1.2 million doses of Britain's AstraZeneca under the COVAX program which is managed by the World Health Organization to ensure equitable distribution of coronavirus jabs among developing nations.
Pakistan's National Command and Operation Center, which oversees the country's pandemic response, recently announced that the first locally produced batch of China's CanSino vaccine will be available for use by the end of May.
The single-dose vaccine is being processed at the National Institute for Health in the capital Islamabad.
Pakistan on Saturday reported 4,007 new coronavirus cases with 88 fatalities in the last 24 hours.
The country's southern province of Sindh decided earlier in the day to retain its current virus curbs, as Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah pointed out that COVID-19 cases were on the rise since Eid al-Fitr which made it difficult for his administration "to ease restrictions in the province."
Pakistan's health chief says more than 5 million COVID-19 vaccines administered so far
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Pakistan's health chief says more than 5 million COVID-19 vaccines administered so far
- Dr. Faisal Sultan maintains the government has adopted a data-driven approach to deal with the pandemic
- Pakistan's southern Sindh province has decided to retain its current virus curbs as COVID-19 cases mount
Curfew extended in Gilgit-Baltistan, probe ordered after deadly Khamenei protests
- At least 15 people were killed in clashes with law enforcement agencies over the weekend in Gilgit-Baltistan
- Government also announces a de-weaponization campaign, crackdown on hate speech and cybercrime in region
ISLAMABAD: The government in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region on Tuesday extended a curfew in Gilgit district and ordered a judicial probe into violent protests over the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes last week, an official said.
At least 15 people were killed in clashes with law enforcement agencies over the weekend in GB, where protesters torched and vandalized several buildings, including United Nations regional offices, an army-run school, software technology park and a local charity building.
The violence prompted regional authorities to impose curfew in Gilgit and Skardu districts on March 2-4 as officials urged people to stay indoors and cooperate with law enforcers, amid widespread anger in Pakistan, particularly among members of the Shiite minority, over Khamenei’s killing.
On Tuesday, the GB government convened to review the situation and announced the extension of curfew in Gilgit among a number of security measures as well as ordered the establishment of a judicial commission to investigate the weekend violence in the region.
“The government has made it clear that the law will strictly take its course against elements involved in vandalism at government institutions, private properties and incidents of vandalism in Gilgit and Skardu and no kind of mischief will be tolerated,” Shabbir Mir, a GB government spokesperson, said in a statement.
“In view of the security situation, curfew will remain in force in Gilgit, while the decision to extend the curfew in Skardu will be taken keeping the ground realities and the changing situation in view.”
The statement did not specify how long the curfew will remain in place in Gilgit.
Besides the formation of the judicial commission to investigate the violent clashes, the government also decided to launch a large-scale de-weaponization campaign in the entire Gilgit district, for which relevant institutions have been directed to immediately complete all necessary arrangements, according to Mir.
In addition, a crackdown has been ordered on hate speech, spread of fake news and cybercrime.
“The aim of these decisions is to ensure the rule of law, protect the lives and property of citizens and crack down on miscreants,” he said. “Approval has also been given to immediately survey the affected infrastructure and start their restoration work on priority basis.”
Demonstrators in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi also stormed the US Consulate on Sunday, smashing windows and attempting to burn the building. Police responded with batons, tear gas, and gunfire, leaving 10 people dead and more than 50 injured.
Pakistani authorities have since beefed up security at US diplomatic missions across the country, including around the US consulate building in Peshawar, to avoid any further violence.
