Pakistan lauds Chinese assistance to combat COVID-19

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan marks over 24,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 with the death toll doubling, Thursday saw immense financial support from the international capitals. China, the European Union, and the United State stepped up contributions in millions of dollars.

“Since the outbreak of Covid-19 in Pakistan, China has extended tremendous support to Pakistan to fight the pandemic. The Chinese government has so far provided us with $4 million in cash donations in addition to 390 ventilators, 330,000 testing kits, 830,000 N95 masks, 5.8 million surgical masks, 42,000 protective suits, and millions of other PPEs”, said the Foreign Office spokesperson Ayesha Farooqui during the weekly media briefing here.

“Pakistan also received critical medical supplies including a vast quantity of disposable surgical masks, KN-95 masks, testing kits, protective clothing, and portable ventilators from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and Three Gorges Corporation.

Jack Ma Foundation has provided two batches of medical supplies, over500,000 face masks including N95 masks and a number of ventilators”, said the spokesperson.

Meanwhile the Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan Androulla Kaminara in a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday presented Rs24.5 billion Covid19 package that the EU has put together in support to Pakistan.

Earlier, US Ambassador Paul Jones announced a new American contribution of $5 million to support the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme and $2.5 million therapeutic food program for children diagnosed with acute malnutrition.

The US Embassy said since designating Pakistan a priority country for coronavirus assistance, the United States had committed nearly $15 million in new funding to the country. Pakistan also remains confident that the CPEC will be able to complete projects in time while the short-term impact of coronavirus will be counterbalanced by effective and swift mobilization of resources for timely completion of CPEC.

Commenting on 277th day of the continued oppression, inhuman lockdown, and military siege faced by the innocent people in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the spokesperson pointed out that despite the surge in COVID-19 cases in IOJ&K, Indian occupation forces were continuing their relentless campaign of oppression and brutalization of the Kashmiri people.

“Innocent Kashmiris are being martyred in fake encounters and phoney cordon-and-search operations. In an inhuman practice, even the mortal remains of those martyred are not being handed over to the families. Thousands of Kashmiri men, women and children are taking to the streets to protest against Indian brutalities and to let the world community know that they reject illegal Indian occupation”, she said.

Despite the surge in COVID-19 cases in IOJ&K, the Indian occupation forces continue their relentless campaign of oppression and brutalization of Kashmiri people. Innocent Kashmiris are being martyred in fake encounters and phoney cordon-and-search operations.

“In an inhuman practice, even the mortal remains of those martyred are not being handed over to the families. Thousands of Kashmiri men, women and children are taking to the streets to protest against Indian brutalities and to let the world community know that they reject illegal Indian occupation”, said the spokesperson.

The Indian occupation forces have again completely shut down Internet services in the IOJ&K after the life of another local Kashmiri resistance fighter was taken in a so-called “encounter.”

“There are reports of Indian security forces firing pellet guns and live bullets on peaceful protesters, killing at least one innocent Kashmiri and wounding scores of others. These Indian actions are highly condemnable”, she added.

Meanwhile, Senior Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad arrived in Islamabad, with Doha and New Delhi on his itinerary. Pakistan says it has always maintained that there is no military solution to the Afghan conflict.

Khalilzad will be meeting with the Taliban representatives as well said the US State Department. In Delhi, he will meet with Indian officials to discuss the important role of India in a sustainable peace in Afghanistan and the region. And in Islamabad, he will meet with Pakistani officials and also discuss the Afghan peace process.

To a query, the spokesperson said Pakistan had always encouraged all sides to resolve all issues through negotiations, as there was no military solution to the Afghan conflict.

“We have played the role of an honest facilitator for the US-Taliban Peace Agreement. It is now a historic opportunity for the Afghan leadership to seize and resolve their mutual issues through an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process. We hope that the US-Taliban deal is implemented in full which will lead to peace in Afghanistan”, she said.

May 08: Speakers at a teleconference jointly organized by the University of Peshawar and Chinese Xian Jiaotong University on Thursday discussed different aspects of Covid-19 pandemic and how to find out a strategy for combating the crisis.

The two universities pledged to promote more cooperation and undertake some high-quality research against the disease. The conference was titled “Fighting Covid-19: Measures and Arrangements”. The participants also discussed diagnosis and treatment for the coronavirus that has affected the entire world. A number of experts from China and Pakistan participated in the online conference. Dr. LEI Yanjun, Deputy Director of Department International Cooperation and Exchanges was moderator for the session. He introduced the Chinese speakers.

Prof. Dr Zahid Anwar, Director, China Study Center, co-moderator, introduced the Pakistani participants. Prof Dr XI Guang, Vice-President, Xian Jiaotong University, welcomed the Pakistani participants. He hoped for more collaboration between the two universities.

Dr Safdar Ali Shah, Director-General, China Pakistan Economic Corridor Cell, Higher Education Commission, Islamabad, talked of the HEC support and efforts to enhance collaboration between Chinese and Pakistani Universities in the realm of higher education especially cooperation and research against Covid-19. Dr Gong Shouping, Chairman of the Committee Board, second the affiliated hospital focused on understanding, confronting and fighting Covid-19.

Prof Dr Muhammad Asif Khan, Vice-Chancellor, University of Peshawar highlighted the gravity of the situation about the pandemic in Pakistan and the steps taken by the government to tackle it properly. Prof Dr Chen Ling, Dean of School of Continuing Education, provided technical support to the teleconference. Dr. Yang Shuanying, Director of the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, second affiliated hospital discussed the diagnosis and treatment strategy for Covid-19.

Prof Dr LI Jinna, Director of the Infectious Disease Department, highlighted Covid-19 prevention and control. Dr Liu Ming, Director of the Administration Division, second affiliated hospital, was moderator of the second session from the Chinese side. Dr Jia Xiaoli, Deputy-Director of the Infectious Disease Department, second affiliated hospital, Dr WANG Gang Dy Director of the Intensive Care Unit Department, second affiliated hospital, Dr He Ping, Dr Zhang Dexin, DR Shi Hongyang, Dr Cao Yuan and Dr Wang Lei from the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, second affiliated hospital also participated in the teleconference.

Prof Dr Mohammad Abid, Dean, Faculty of Numerical Sciences, UoP, Prof. Dr Noor Jehan, Director, Centre for Disaster Preparedness and Management, UoP, Prof Dr Sumera Afzal Director, Centre for Biotechnology and Microbiology, UoP and Dr Fawad discussed issues related to dealing with Covid-19 in Pakistan.

In the closing remarks Prof Dr Zahid Anwar said that Pakistan and China relations are very strong and Pakistani people are thankful to China for its sincere and solid support to Pakistan against Covid-19.

Dr. Lei Yanjun, in her concluding remarks said that XJTU and UOP will collaborate with each other comprehensively and this cooperation will be taken to a new and higher stage as soon as the situation becomes normal.

May 10: Appreciating the continued support from China regarding fighting the deadly Covid-19 virus, Ambassador of Pakistan to China Naghmana Hashmi has said that these donations have reinforced Pakistan’s efforts to combat COVID-19 pandemic and helped contain and curb this disease effectively.

“We have received critical medical supplies worth millions of RMBs from Chinese donors including major SOEs, entrepreneurs engaged in several projects in Pakistan, provincial governments of China and also from private individuals,” said the ambassador in an interview with China Economic Net here yesterday.

Hashmi highlighted that the Chinese magnanimity and concern for health and safety of fellow human beings in Pakistan is not only a manifestation of their national character but also offers an insight into peaceful and benevolent traits of Chinese civilization.

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“As iron brothers, all-weather strategic partners and most reliable friends, Pakistan looked forward to China in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.

The ambassador remarked that China’s assistance to Pakistan at this critical juncture has again proved that Pakistan and China are strategic partners, and such bilateral ties remain unaffected by myriad challenges and continue to grow from strength to strength.

In order to manage the continuous supply of donations being received on daily basis and its shipment to Pakistan, the embassy constituted a team of four Embassy officers under the guidance of ambassador Hashmi to liaise with the donors and assist them in every way possible.

“We also made elaborate logistical arrangements including spacious ware house, cargo handling and customs clearing facilities which were necessary for a swift and smooth processing of donations till the final shipment,” she said.