RAWALPINDI: Which COVID-19 vaccine do you want to get: the AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Sinovac or CanSino?
At a newly inaugurated vaccination center in Islamabad’s F9 Park, Pakistanis can now choose which vaccine they want to be administered — the only inoculation facility in the country to offer such a facility.
The center, which has 75 counters and is designed to administer 7,000 shots a day, was inaugurated on May 19 by planning minister Asad Umar, who also heads the National Command and Operations Center that oversees Pakistan’s pandemic response.
“The center provides all four vaccines currently available in Pakistan,” Dr. Fawad Khalid Khan, a doctor at the facility, told Arab News on Thursday. “These include AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Sinovac and CanSino. Most of the time the clients have the option to choose whatever vaccine they want for themselves.”
Dr. Osman Ulvi, a medical officer at the vaccination center, said the range of vaccines available at the facility met required international standards.
“As long as what you want is available, we will furnish your request,” he added.
On Wednesday, Pakistan opened up its coronavirus vaccination campaign to everyone aged 19 or older as it scrambles to protect more of its 220 million people. Pakistan initially had to deal with vaccination hesitancy and a shortage of vaccine supplies and had limited shots to people aged 30 or over.
But with purchases and donations from China and allocations from the World Health Organization and the GAVI Vaccine Alliance, it has now secured more than 18 million doses and is keen to get them out into the population.
Just on May 8, Pakistan received 1.2 million doses of AstraZeneca and has also started locally producing China’s single-dose CanSino jabs with the help of Chinese raw material and a technology transfer agreement. The government says the country aims to produce three million doses a month locally and is urging the public to get shots.
In fact, the message of the F9 Park center is that it offers faster, more efficient service so people deterred by long lines at other centers too can be persuaded to come in for their jabs.
At present, the estimated maximum waiting time at the Islamabad center is 30 minutes. At other centers around the country, people have often had to wait for up to three hours or more to get a shot.
“We have established this mass vaccination center to reduce waiting time and have been getting good feedback,” Dr. Zaeem Zia, district health officer in Islamabad, told Arab News. “If you think that other vaccination facilities are taking too much time, just come to our mass vaccination center.”
“Everybody should get themselves vaccinated since it will help us contain the virus in Islamabad,” he said, “and make life safer for everyone.”
At new vaccine center in Islamabad, Pakistanis can pick their COVID-19 jabs from menu
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At new vaccine center in Islamabad, Pakistanis can pick their COVID-19 jabs from menu
- Inoculation center in F9 Park is the only facility in the country where people can ask to be administered a vaccine of their choice
- Center has jabs of AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Sinovac and CanSino, is designed to administer 7,000 shots daily at 75 counters
Pakistan, Japan discuss boosting trade, investment and cooperation in key sectors
- The Pakistani side highlighted various opportunities in sectors minerals and mining, agricultural and agri-food products, and IT sectors
- The development comes as Pakistan steps up economic diplomacy to expand trade, investment ties after emerging from a financial crisis
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Japan have held talks on improving bilateral trade and investment and expanding cooperation in key sectors, Pakistan’s Press Information Department said on Saturday.
Both countries held the 8th Pakistan–Japan Government–Business Joint Dialogue and the Pakistan Business Forum in Tokyo on Friday, marking the first convening of the dialogue in the Japanese capital since Dec. 2018.
The dialogue was co-chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s aide on commerce Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan and Takuo Komori, Japan’s parliamentary vice-minister of economy, trade and industry, according to the PID.
The two sides exchanged views on strengthening bilateral economic relations, with a focus on improving the trade and investment environment and advancing practical cooperation.
“The Pakistani side outlined Pakistan’s economic priorities and highlighted opportunities for collaboration in sectors such as minerals and mining, agricultural and agri-food products, and information technology,” the PID said in a statement.
“The Japanese side shared perspectives on the operating environment for Japanese companies in Pakistan and discussed areas where continued engagement and follow-up could further facilitate business activity.”
Pakistan steps up economic diplomacy to expand trade ties and attract foreign capital after emerging from a prolonged financial crisis that nearly pushed it into default in mid-2023. Islamabad has since set up the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a civil-military body designed to cut red tape and provide a one-window operation for businesses, as it navigates a long path to economic recovery under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.
Pakistan and Japan established diplomatic and economic relations in 1952. Since then, Japan has been a major development partner, financing infrastructure such as roads, power plants and water systems, while extending technical assistance and yen loans.
The Pakistan–Japan Government–Business Joint Dialogue brought together senior officials and private-sector representatives from both countries, including members of the Pakistan–Japan Business Forum (PJBF) and the Japan–Pakistan Business Co-operation Committee (JPBCC).
Participants reaffirmed the importance of sustained government-to-government engagement, supported by close coordination with the private sector, to advance mutually beneficial economic cooperation between Pakistan and Japan, according to the statement.
Following the Joint Dialogue, the Pakistan Business Forum, co-organized by the Embassy of Pakistan in Tokyo and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), was held in Tokyo that was attended by Japanese and Pakistani business leaders.
The Forum featured selected sectoral presentations highlighting practical cooperation between Japanese and Pakistani partners. It included a presentation by the Trade and Investment Counsellor of the Embassy of Pakistan in Tokyo on “From Trade to Investment: Building Japan–Pakistan Joint Value Chains.”
“The Forum concluded with closing remarks by Mr. Abdul Hameed, Ambassador of Pakistan to Japan, who highlighted the importance of sustained engagement, trust-building, and long-term partnership in advancing Pakistan–Japan economic cooperation,” the PID added.
