FM Qureshi lauds Pak-China close cooperation in the wake of pandemic outbreak

ISLAMABAD – Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi yesterday said Pakistan was working with China against coronavirus.

His statement came as a second plane carrying relief supplies from China arrived in Islamabad.

The supplies are meant to help Pakistan fight the coronavirus. The aid includes around six tonnes of supplies, including 15 ventilators, masks, medical protective kits and other items.

Pakistan has reported 13 coronavirus deaths and 1,526 known cases. A lockdown has been imposed across the country to curb the spread of the virus.

Qureshi said Pakistan and China were collaborating closely to counter Covid-19. “Global fight against coronavirus pandemic requires multi-national approach and coordination,” the FM said on Twitter.

The top diplomat said that he contacted his counterparts of China, Iran, Turkey, Italy, UK, Spain, France, Germany, Maldives, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka to share perspective of help and to exchange best practices.

He said a Crisis Management Unit was working around the clock at the Foreign Office to look after all Pakistanis stranded abroad.

Meanwhile yesterday, China’s ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing said that China had made great headway into controlling the deadly pathogen and stands by their ‘iron brother’ Pakistan in there hour of need.

Speaking at a ceremony held in the honor of Chinese medical staff that has arrived in Pakistan to help-out during the global coronavirus pandemic, the Chinese envoy said the coronavirus had become a big challenge for the entire world.

“Unity and self isolation were the only two ways to tackle the conundrum,” he said.

Ambassador Jing said that Pakistan was China’s first priority among every other nation in the world who are currently embroiled in a war against an invisible enemy.

The dignitary also said that he was resolute that with China’s help, Pakistan would soon gain total control of coronavirus and curb the disease like China itself has.

Pakistan’s count of novel coronavirus cases soared to 1526 yesterday, according to the latest statistics released by the National Command and Control Center. So far 28 have made full recoveries after contracting coronavirus.

Earlier in the day, Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said Pakistan Air Force plane carrying relief goods for medical staff including ventilators, disposable coverall, N95 and medical masks from Wuhan had arrived in Islamabad.