First COVID-19 vaccine tranche arrives in the country

Pakistan thanks Chinese President, Chinese people for COVID-19 vaccine gift

ISLAMABAD: First Covid-19 tranche of the Sinopharm vaccine arrived here on Monday by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) special plane.  Foreign Minister shah Mehmood Qureshi received the free of cost 500,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine at the Noor Khan Airbase. The Chinese ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong, Special Assistant to Prime minister on health Dr Faisal Sultan was present on the occasion.

 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for gifting it the Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine which reached the country today. A ceremony was held at Nur Khan Base in Islamabad where 0.5 million doses were given to Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

While talking to media, the foreign minister said the “gift is a practical proof of friendship between the two countries,” adding that “China once again demonstrated its everlasting friendship with Pakistan,” by helping it in times of need. “This is even more important as we are completing seven decades of diplomatic ties this year,” he added.FM Qureshi said: “I want to thank the Chinese government, President Xi Jinping, and the people of China on behalf of the Pakistani government and Prime Minister Imran Khan.” The minister also expressed his gratitude to his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, with whom he was in talks for the early delivery of the vaccine. Qureshi added that Beijing has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Islamabad in the fight against the coronavirus. Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong said Pakistan was the “first country in the world to receive vaccines donated by the Chinese government”, calling it a “manifestation of brotherhood”.