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ARY NEWS

Jahangir Khan

  • Pakistan receives another 500,000 doses of China’s Sinopharm vaccine

    Pakistan receives another 500,000 doses of China’s Sinopharm vaccine

    ISLAMABAD: Another Pakistan Air Force (PAF) special plane carrying 0.5 million doses of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine from China arrived in Pakistan on Saturday, ARY News reported, citing sources.

    The special plane carrying the vaccine arrived at Islamabad’s Nur Khan Airbase. This was the eighth Covid-19 vaccine consignment that arrived from China.

    China previously gifted 1.5 million vaccine doses to Islamabad.

    Separately in another development, three Pakistan Internationa Airlines (PIA) planes have left for China Saturday to bring 1 million more vaccine doses.

    On Thursday Pakistan had received another shipment of 500,000 doses of a SinoVac coronavirus vaccine from China.

    Pakistan on April 18. had reached an agreement for the procurement of China’s CoronaVac vaccine.

    Coronavac vaccine has been prepared by the Sinovac Life Sciences of China. The firm has assured providing the vaccine according to the needs of Pakistan, sources said.

    CoronaVac, inactivated vaccine, comprises of two doses and stored at minus-two to eight degree Celsius temperature, sources said. China had allowed emergency use of the CoronaVac in July 2020

    According to sources, Pakistan will receive two million doses of COVID vaccine from China by April 24.

    Read More: Lahore firm seeks emergency use permission for Sinovac vaccine

    Out of two million doses, 1.5 million would be purchased from China while 500,000 would be provided as a gift from the neighbouring friendly country.

    The doses included 1.5 million vaccines of Sinopharm and 500,000 jabs of Sinovac.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan has already begun vaccinating elderly people aged above 50-year-old and health professionals.

  • NCOC hints at lockdown in high-risk cities amid worsening COVID situation

    NCOC hints at lockdown in high-risk cities amid worsening COVID situation

    ISLAMABAD: National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) meeting headed by Asad Umar on Saturday hinted at lockdown in high-risk cities if COVID-19 situation further worsens, ARY NEWS reported on Saturday.  

    The meeting headed by Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar reviewed the situation in hospitals, available oxygen supplies, implementation on COVID SOPs as federal and provincial officials briefed regarding the current situation.


    The NCOC emphasized that lockdown would be unavoidable if COVID-19 situation worsens in the country but stressed that any decision in this regard would be made after consultation with the stakeholders.

    According to the top body reviewing COVID-19 situation in the country, the proposed restrictions in case of lockdown included curbs imposed on markets and malls, unnecessary services, closure of schools and inter-city transport.

    “Help could be taken from Pakistan Army, Rangers and, Frontier Corps if needed or asked by the provinces for COVID SOPs enforcement,” the body said.

    Read More: With 157 Covid-19 fatalities, Pakistan records highest single-day death toll so far

    It was briefed during the meeting that a special PAF plane would bring 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine- Sinopharm- from China today as NCOC gave go-ahead to walk-in vaccination facility to people aged 60-year-old.

    During a briefing on healthcare facilities, the NDMA officials said they had added 2811 oxygen beds, 431 ventilators and 1196 oxygen cylinders, 1504 pulse oximeters to the current health infrastructure.

    The NCOC lauded the NDMA for strengthening the healthcare system and directed to make further additions.

    According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) data, 157 people died of Covid-19 in a single day, pushing the national tally to 16,999 on Saturday. The last time the country recorded the highest death toll in a single day was on June 20 when 153 people died.

  • Fed govt to extend help to provinces to increase COVID testing: sources

    Fed govt to extend help to provinces to increase COVID testing: sources

    ISLAMABAD: Federal government has decided to mobilize its resources and help provinces in increasing COVID-19 testing in the wake of worsening virus-related situation in the country, ARY NEWS reported quoting sources.

    According to sources privy to the details, the federal government has asked the provinces to increase their testing capacity.

    “In order to improve their capacity, initially, the federal government will provide testing kits to the provinces,” they said adding that the NDMA has been directed to provide kits to the provinces.

    The sources further said that the federal government has further directed the NDMA to keep 500,000 test kits in reserve.

    Further, they said that it has been agreed that the Centre and provinces would purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) with their own available resources.

    There is no let-up in Covid-19 fatalities as Pakistan recorded the highest number of deaths from the coronavirus since the outbreak of the pandemic in February last year.

    Read More: Govt calls in Pakistan Army to help enforce Covid SOPs

    According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) data, 157 people died of Covid-19 in a single day, pushing the national tally to 16,999. The last time the country recorded the highest death toll in a single day was on June 20 when 153 people died.

    As many as 5,908 new infections surfaced when 52,402 samples were tested. The country’s overall positivity ratio of new cases jumped to 11.27%, according to the NCOC.

    Read More: Restaurants, schools closed as Fed govt announces fresh COVID restrictions

    The national tally of confirmed cases climbed to 790,016 with the addition of 5,908 cases.

    Thus far, Punjab has reported 285,542, Sindh 276,670, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 112,140, Islamabad 72,613, Balochistan 21,477, Azad Jammu and Kashmir 16,327 and Gilgit Baltistan 5,247.

    A total of 686,488 people have recovered from the disease while the number of active cases stands at 86,529.

  • IHC dismisses petition seeking cancellation of in-person A/O level exams

    IHC dismisses petition seeking cancellation of in-person A/O level exams

    ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday dismissed as non-maintainable a writ petition seeking cancellation of in-person A and O level exams. 

    Chief Justice Athar Minallah announced this verdict after hearing arguments of the petitioners’ lawyer.

    The court directed the petitioners to approach the National Command and Operation Centre to have their grievance redressed.

    “This court has already held that the decisions of the National Command and Operation Centre are binding and not justiciable by a judicial forum,” read the four-page long verdict.

    Also Read: Minister’s reply sought on plea for cancellation of A/O level exams

    “The grievance raised by the petitioners relates to policy of the Federal Government in the context of dealing with the crisis of Covid-19. This court, therefore, is not the competent forum nor has the expertise to direct the respondents regarding what mode should be adopted relating to assessment of students.”

    “We can’t issue any instructions,” the judge observed during the hearing earlier today, hinting at referring the matter to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) to make a decision in this regard.

    Justice Minallah said courts can’t interfere in policy matters. “We can’t interfere in the NCOC’s policy decisions on the coronavirus,” he observed, noting the Government of Pakistan couldn’t issue any instructions to Cambridge as the former only facilitates the exams in the country.

    “Do you want the court to restrain the government from taking exams?” the chief justice asked the petitioners’ counsel.

    “There is no such a thing in his petition that is not the policy of Cambridge,” the lawyer contended. “My petition is not against Cambridge that gave two options. Saudi Arabia, Thailand and India opted for physical exams.”

    Also Read: Classes 1-8 to remain suspended until 28th, A/O level exams to be taken as per schedule

    The court observed that only nine students have filed the petition. The nine petitioners can’t be the representative of thousands of other students who may want to sit the physical exams, Justice Minallah remarked.

    It is noteworthy that the Sindh High Court (SHC) is also hearing a similar petition.

  • Pakistan receives 0.5m Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine doses from China

    Pakistan receives 0.5m Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine doses from China

    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday received another shipment of 500,000 doses of a Sinovac coronavirus vaccine from China, ARY News reported.

    A special plane of PAF carrying as many as 500,000 doses of Sinovac vaccine arrived at the Nur Khan Airbase in Islamabad.

    This was the fifth coronavirus vaccine and the third Chinese vaccine to be used in Pakistan.

    Pakistan on April 18. had reached an agreement for the procurement of China’s CoronaVac vaccine.

    Coronavac vaccine has been prepared by the Sinovac Life Sciences of China. The firm has assured providing the vaccine according to the needs of Pakistan, sources said.

    CoronaVac, inactivated vaccine, comprises of two doses and stored at minus-two to eight degree Celsius temperature, sources said. China had allowed emergency use of the CoronaVac in July 2020

    According to sources, Pakistan will receive two million doses of COVID vaccine from China by April 24.

    Out of two million doses, 1.5 million would be purchased from China while 500,000 would be provided as a gift from the neighbouring friendly country.

    Read More: Lahore firm seeks emergency use permission for Sinovac vaccine

    The doses included 1.5 million vaccines of Sinopharm and 500,000 jabs of Sinovac.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan has already begun vaccinating elderly people aged above 50-year-old and health professionals.

  • Federal govt decides to lower age bar for walk-in COVID vaccination: sources

    Federal govt decides to lower age bar for walk-in COVID vaccination: sources

    LAHORE: The federal government has decided to lower the age bar for walk-in COVID vaccination for elderly people, allowing the 60-year-old people to avail the facility, ARY NEWS reported quoting sources.

    According to sources having knowledge of the government’s decision, the people aged between 65-year-old and 60-year-old would now be able to avail walk-in facility from April 25.

    “The walk-in vaccination for 60-year-old people is already going on in Balochistan,” they said adding that the bar for the facility was set at 65-year-old in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Sindh.

    The sources said that the vaccination process in the country began on March 16 and initially the walk-in facility was available for people aged 70-year-old.

    “Those eyeing walk-in vaccination do not need to register themselves on the government’s helpline and could directly approach any vaccine centre for their immunization,” the sources said.

    It is pertinent to mention here that vaccination for people aged between 50-59 has begun in the country on April 21.

    Read More: Pakistan to receive 2mn COVID vaccine doses from China: sources

    Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar announced in a tweet earlier that the NCOC decided to start vaccination of people aged from 50 to 59 from April 21, encouraging once again every one to register themselves for the vaccination.

    The National Command and Operation Centre started registering citizens above 50 years of age for COVID-19 vaccination from March 30.

    “Registration of those who are 50 plus for covid vaccination will be opened on March 30th. Registration of those who are 60 and older has already been open. Encourage everybody who is 50 plus to register when the registration is opened for them on 30th,” Asad Umar had tweeted.

  • WHO lauds ‘excellent’ arrangements at Pakistan Covid vaccination centres

    WHO lauds ‘excellent’ arrangements at Pakistan Covid vaccination centres

    ISLAMABAD: World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative in Pakistan Dr Palitha Mahipala on Wednesday lauded Pakistan’s Covid-19 vaccination efforts.

    Taking to Twitter, he said: “I appreciate efforts of the Government of Pakistan for rolling out COVID-19 vaccination including vaccination of foreigners in the National Vaccine Deployment Plan & making excellent arrangements at the vaccination centers across Pakistan, with Covid-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in place.”

    Pakistan started vaccinating people in the age group 50-59 against COVID-19 today. The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) last week decided to start vaccination of citizens aged from 50 to 59 from April 21 (today).

    Pakistan is expected to receive two million doses of COVID vaccine from China by April 24.

    Quoting sources, ARY News reported that the vaccine would start arriving in the country from April 21 (today), and out of the two million doses, 1.5 million would be purchased from China while 500,000 would be provided as a gift from the neighbouring country.

  • China announces to gift more COVID vaccine doses to Pakistan

    China announces to gift more COVID vaccine doses to Pakistan

    ISLAMABAD: China has announced to send more COVID-19 vaccine doses to Pakistan as a gift to help Islamabad in the fight against coronavirus, ARY News reported, citing sources. 

    The COVID vaccine doses are expected to reach Islamabad, in the current ongoing month.

    China has earlier gifted 15 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine to Pakistan.

    Sources privy to the development said 0.5 million doses of Sinopham COVID vaccine that are being gifted by China will reach Islamabad in a special flight from China.

    The Foreign ministry has informed the Health ministry about the vaccine being gifted by China to Pakistan this month.

    On Monday, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had announced Pakistan would receive 15 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine under COVAX.

    Read more: Pakistan to get 15m doses of vaccine, FM announces after meeting with German counterpart

    “Following my meeting with Foreign Minister @HeikoMaas, I am happy to announce that Pakistan will receive 15 million doses of the #COVID vaccine under COVAX, with a commitment for these to be delivered by May,” FM Qureshi had tweeted.

  • NCOC decides closing COVID-19 vaccination centres once a week

    NCOC decides closing COVID-19 vaccination centres once a week

    ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has decided closure of the COVID-19 vaccination centres across the country once a week, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

    The NCOC approved weekly holiday of coronavirus vaccination centres and issued directives to the provincial chief and health secretaries regarding its closure for a day in a week.

    Sources told ARY News that the vaccination centres will be closed on Friday in order to give rest to the administrative and medical staff. On the weekly holidary, the vaccination centres will complete their tasks including vaccine transfer and other related matters.

    Read: Covid-19 third wave: NCOC issues Ramazan guidelines

    Earlier on April 5, the government had decided to administer Covid-19 jabs to elderly people aged 80 and above at their homes after the National Command Operation Center (NCOC) approved the recommendation.

    The decision came after NCOC huddle had given go-ahead to the recommendations put forward by the huddle and has thus directed all the provinces to begin vaccination drive at home for the elderly who cannot wait at designated centers.

    The local health authorities will be responsible to facilitate the home vaccine drive, sources confirmed, as the people will reach out to local officials to get themselves registered.

    The NCOC’s decision comes in a bid to encourage the elderly to take the jabs readily without hassle while about a million people have been already vaccinated against the global pandemic to develop immunity against it.

  • Covid-19 vaccination: Govt to establish call centres under no-show policy

    Covid-19 vaccination: Govt to establish call centres under no-show policy

    ISLAMABAD: The federal government will establish special call centres in all districts under the no-show policy in order to approach the elderly citizens who did not receive the doses of coronavirus vaccines, ARY News reported on Monday.

    The health authorities have decided to approach the elderly citizens for not having COVID-19 vaccines despite getting themselves registered. It has been decided that special call centres will be established in all districts under the no-show policy in order to approach the citizens, sources told ARY News.

    The representatives will contact the registered citizens to inquire about the reasons for not receiving the dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

    Read: Pakistan to begin single-dose CanSino COVID-19 vaccination from Monday

    The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) approved the decision to immediately establish the call centres besides providing the questionnaire comprising five questions to ascertain the reasons for not appearing at the vaccination centre.

    Besides collecting the information and addressing the reservations, the health representatives will also try to convince the registered citizens to receive the doses of the coronavirus vaccine. The call centres will be bound to submit their performance report on a daily basis to the higher authorities, sources added.

    Earlier on April 1, the federal government had provided more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to the various parts of the country.

    Read: Pakistan begins preparation to produce its own COVID vaccine

    Overall 4,52000 COVID-19 vaccine shots of Sinopham and CanSino have been provided to Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. The vaccine jabs were dispatched to provinces in the cold-chain containers via road and by air.

    Punjab had been provided overall 100,000 vaccine shots including 80,000 jabs of Sinopham and 20,000 doses of single-shot covid-vaccine CanSino, while Sindh had been given 1,12,000 vaccine jabs including 100,000 of Sinopham and 12,000 CanSino.

    Moreover, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been supplied 50,000 doses of Sinopham and 9,000 doses of CanSino vaccines, Balochistan 23,000 (including 20,000 Sinopham and 3,000 CanSino doses), Islamabad 23,000 (including 20,000 Sinopham and 3,000 CanSino doses), Azad Kashmir 23,000 ( (including 20,000 Sinopham and 3,000 CanSino doses) and Gilgit-Baltistan region had been provided with 12,000 doses of Sinopham and CanSino covid vaccines.