ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday thanked the Chinese government as a plane carrying first tranche of Sinopharm anti-COVID 19 vaccine arrived here.

The foreign minister, in a statement, said that he had discussed the matter with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in December and January wherein he had apprised him of the country’s need. Wang Yi had assured him that considering the close bilateral ties, China desired to dispatch first tranche of vaccine to Pakistan.

“I am pleased that our plane carrying first tranche of vaccine arrives from China. On Monday afternoon, a ceremony will also be held at Nur Khan Airbase, also to be attended by Chinese ambassador,” he remarked. The foreign minister said though inflation was a major challenge, Prime Minister Imran Khan was actively engaged to cope with it.

He said all out measures were being taken to ensure people’s deliverance from inflation. He said though the performance of Federal Board of Revenue had improved, it required more reforms to ensure that the money went to the national kitty, instead of individuals’ accounts. Foreign Minister Qureshi said the Pakistan Democratic Movement was compelled to launch movement as the noose of accountability was being tightened around its leadership.

“The PDM parties want to save one another. PDM is an unnatural alliance. They want to save one another but actually, their interests are poles apart,” he remarked. Special plane carrying first batch of COVID-19 vaccine leaves China for Islamabad. He said the Pakistan People’s Party wanted to exert pressure on government but was unwilling to sacrifice its provincial government in Sindh.

The foreign minister said the PTI did not believe in political victimization rather acted under law as well as constitution. He said the state land was being illegally occupied even the graveyards were not safe from the greed of land mafia. NNI