ISLAMABAD, February 17: President Arif Alvi on Thursday awarded the country’s top civilian award, Hilal-e-Pakistan, to Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates in recognition of his work related to poverty alleviation and disease control in different parts of the world.
Gates arrived in Islamabad earlier in the day to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan, President Alvi and other senior government functionaries.
“On a day-long visit to the capital, Islamabad, Gates was given the prestigious Hilal-e-Pakistan award by President Arif Alvi in a televised ceremony after he met with Prime Minister Imran Khan,” said a statement.
“It is a pleasure to welcome Mr. Bill Gates on his first ever visit to Pakistan,” said Dr Faisal Sultan, the prime minister’s advisor on public health, in a Twitter post. “Planned engagements include a review of progress on polio eradication, visits to NCOC [National Command and Operation Center] and Ehsaas program as well as meeting the President, the PM and health leadership of the provinces.”
According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Gates attended a meeting of the National Task Force for Polio Eradication in Islamabad. During the meeting, the prime minister maintained the government was fully committed and determined to eradicate polio.
During the meeting, Khan highlighted how Afghanistan was in need of “urgent international support,” adding the neighbouring country is also the source of polio in the frontier regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. “Pakistan is providing full support for the sake of 40 million Afghan people in need of basic amenities,” he said.
Gates thanked the prime minister for extending a warm welcome to him on his first visit to Pakistan. “Mr. Gates highly appreciated the efforts of the leadership, health workers and parents for working tirelessly to ensure that polio never paralyzes a child again,” the PMO statement said.
“Mr. Gates said that despite Covid-19 restrictions, Pakistan has performed amazingly and has continued with polio vaccinations,” it added.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan also held a one-on-one meeting with the Microsoft co-founder. Khan appreciated and thanked the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for its continued support and partnership with the government of Pakistan in polio eradication. The prime minister underlined that the government is fully committed and determined towards polio eradication.
He said, “Afghanistan being the primary source of polio incidence in our two bordering provinces requires urgent international support to avert humanitarian crisis including health emergency.” He said that Pakistan is providing full support for the sake of 40 million Afghan people in need of basic amenities.
Thanking the Prime Minister for the invitation and warm hospitality on his first ever visit to Pakistan, Bill Gates highly appreciated the efforts of the leadership, health workers and parents for working tirelessly to ensure that polio never paralyses a child again. He said despite Covid-19 restrictions, Pakistan has performed amazingly and has continued with polio vaccinations. -TLTP
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