ISLAMABAD: In a meeting with Pakistani President Dr. Arif Alvi on Wednesday, clerics and religious scholars agreed to use mosques, imambargahs and religious seminaries to raise “effective and positive voices” motivating the public to get vaccinated.
Pakistan last week opened up its 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 almost 20 million doses and is keen to get them out into the population.
Religious clerics from across the country and the country’s health officials attended Wednesday’s meeting and released a joint statement saying encouraging vaccination was “one of the duties of scholars.”
“Scholars and clerics have expressed satisfaction over the composition of vaccines currently registered in Pakistan for the prevention of coronavirus,” the statement read, adding that clerics would use Friday sermons to create awareness about the importance of getting vaccinated.
Pakistani ulema assure president they will motivate public to get COVID-19 vaccines
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Pakistani ulema assure president they will motivate public to get COVID-19 vaccines
- Clerics meet president and say encouraging vaccination “one of the duties of scholars”
- Pledge to use Friday sermons to create awareness about importance of vaccination
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia discuss regional situation, upcoming engagements
- Ishaq Dar and Prince Faisal bin Farhan agree to stay in contact amid Middle East tensions
- The two officials speak ahead of Trump’s Feb. 19 Board of Peace meeting in Washington, DC
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar discussed regional developments and upcoming international engagements with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in a phone call on Saturday, according to the foreign office in Islamabad.
The conversation took place against the backdrop of deepening strategic ties between Islamabad and Riyadh. In September last year, the two countries signed a bilateral defense agreement that formalized decades of military cooperation and included a commitment to view aggression against one as an attack on both countries.
“Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar held a telephonic conversation today with the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“The two leaders discussed the evolving regional situation, forthcoming international engagements, and agreed to remain in close contact,” it added.
The two officials spoke at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East, with the conflict in Gaza far from resolution amid ongoing ceasefire violations by Israel.
The region has also been on edge as the United States pursues nuclear negotiations with Iran, prompting regional states to call for diplomacy rather than new military flare-ups.
Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are participants in US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, which is scheduled to meet on Feb. 19 in Washington.
Islamabad and Riyadh have consistently coordinated positions over regional and global issues.
The foreign ministry did not provide further details of the discussion.
