- -Says IAEA to provide Pakistan COVID-19 testing equipment
ISLAMABAD, April 17: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is set to provide Pakistan the equipment for testing of COVID-19 through use of nuclear-derived technique, the Foreign Office said on Friday.
“IAEA will provide Pakistan a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machine, bio-hazard safety cabinets, test kits and related consumer goods to help fight the novel coronavirus through the nuclear derived technique,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said here at a press briefing.
She said the embassy of Pakistan in Vienna is coordinating with IAEA for an early shipment. She said the provision of equipment would augment Pakistan’s national capacity to conduct COVID-19 tests, which is crucial in containing the spread of the disease.
“Pakistan deeply values the contribution of IAEA and its leadership for helping the members states in their efforts to fight COVID-19 pandemic,” she added.
“We also acknowledge the generous contribution of the IAEA member states to boost scientific and technical capacities of other countries in combating this global crisis,” she further said.
The FO spokesperson said Pakistan has a longstanding relationship with IAEA and as its founding member, and would continue to benefit from its technical assistance from various fields including health, agriculture and energy, besides contributing to Agency’s work of promoting peaceful use of nuclear technology.
On repatriation of stranded Pakistanis abroad amid COVID-19 pandemic, Farooqui said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its embassies and missions has launched a robust and round-the-clock outreach initiative to provide the overseas communities relief and assistance including food ration.
She said approximately 43,000 Pakistanis in different countries have desired to be brought back to Pakistan for which a comprehensive and phase repatriation plan from different countries is under way. “So far 2,287 stranded Pakistanis have been repatriated through 12 special PIA flights from Doha, Dubai, Bangkok, Istanbul, London, Baku, Tashkent, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur,” she said.
The second phase initiated from April 14-18 through nine more special flights will bring back 2,000 Pakistani nationals including 474 from Saudi Arabia mostly Umrah pilgrims, 271 from Oman and 634 from United Arab Emirates, 270 from Japan and Thailand, 225 from Indonesia.
The special flights will land at the airports of Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Faisalabad.
The spokesperson thanked the collaborating agencies of host governments for their cooperation in safe and smooth return of Pakistani nationals.
Farooqui said Pakistan strongly condemns illegal and unilateral actions of Indian security forces in Indian-Occupied Kashmir (IOK), adding that continuation of atrocities is “regrettable” as the region and world fight the pandemic of coronavirus.
“Pakistan is concerned over continued restrictions of movement in the IOK despite growing number of corona patients and fatalities,” she said. She said blockage in IOK compromising the supply of medicine and medical equipment is a serious point of concern.
The FO spokesperson strongly rejected the allegations made by Indian Army Chief MM Naravane on Friday morning and said the attempt is to malign Pakistan and divert attention from human rights abuses in the IOK.
She mentioned that Indian occupation forces recently committed 765 ceasefire violations resulting in several casualties. In 2019, India violated 3,351 times through indiscriminate firings at Line of Control and Working Boundary.
“Pakistan continues to respond to India’s belligerence. We remind India once again to respect the 2003 ceasefire agreement,” she said. Farooqui said Pakistan welcomes the joint communiqué of G20 finance ministers and their efforts for global economic recovery as the world fights challenges during the pandemic.
She said on April 12, Prime Minister Imran Khan appealed for global initiative of relief, underlying that global recession could be overcome with coordinated efforts. -TLTP
