Pakistan Army greatly values friendly ties with China: Gen Qamar

ISPR says COAS meets Chinese ambassador and discusses Afghan peace process, progress on CPEC

While commending China for its contribution towards the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in Pakistan, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said the Pakistan Army greatly values its friendly relations with China, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

He expressed these remarks during a meeting with Ambassador of China to Pakistan Nong Rong at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on Monday.

The military's media wing said that matters of mutual interest, recent developments in the Afghan peace process, progress on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), regional security and the current situation of Covid-19 were discussed during the meeting.

Read Pakistan receives another batch of Covid-19 vaccines from China

The military's media wing further said that the visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan’s sincere efforts for peace and stability in the region, especially the Afghan peace process.

Earlier, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan had also lauded China's cooperation in enabling Pakistan to carry out the filling process of vaccine locally.

Pakistan has received a total of 4.06 million doses of vaccines, according to figures reported. Out of this reported number, 3.5 million doses are of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine.

Also read: Pakistan to receive 19m Covid vaccine doses by June: Dr Faisal

Other vaccines received include 60,000 doses of CanSino and 500,000 Sinovac vaccines – both also purchased from China.

Of the total vaccines, 529,928 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine have been utilised so far. For healthcare workers, 134,218 first doses have been administered and 88,475 of the second dose have been administered so far.

According to an announcement by Dr Faisal Sultan last week, the country has purchased 13 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine from three Chinese companies and expects to receive them in the next two months.