According to latest updates, China has confirmed to provide Pakistan with 500,000 vaccine doses by the end of the current month. Pakistan will be receiving its first consignment of COVID-19 vaccines January 31.
“This first batch come under grant assistance, so Pakistan will not be charged,” stated Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi at a press conference in Islamabad.
China’s minister for foreign affairs had given Qureshi this reassurance, adding that Pakistan will also receive support from the former to manufacture vaccines.
“I have thanked China for this generous move”, said Qureshi.
“However, I also informed them that our requirement is much higher, close to 1.1 million doses,” said the foreign minister. On this note the Chinese minister stated that it will also fulfill this requirement by the end of February.
Keeping in mind our all-weather strategic relationship, China said the first country they thought to help with vaccines was Pakistan, stated Qureshi.
Trials of China’s Cansino vaccine in Pakistan have been going on smoothly and the preliminary results are promising, he added.
