IAEA to provide Pakistan nuclear tech-based virus testing equipment

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office of Pakistan has asserted that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would provide Pakistan the equipment for testing coronavirus through the use of nuclear-derived techniques.

In a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui has said, “IAEA will provide Pakistan a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machine, bio-hazard safety cabinets, test kits, and related consumer goods in order to tackle coronavirus.

“In this regard, the Pakistan embassy in Vienna was coordinating with IAEA for an early shipment,” the FO spokesperson added.

She also expressed hope that the equipment would expand Pakistan’s medical capacity to tackle coronavirus – which was crucial in containing the spread of the disease.

She also thanked the contribution of IAEA and its leadership for helping the members states in their efforts to fight coronavirus pandemic.

Aisha Farooqui said that Pakistan had a longstanding relationship with IAEA and as its founding member, would continue to benefit from its technical assistance from various fields including health, agriculture, and energy.

Repatriation of stranded Pakistanis abroad

In this regard, Aisha Farooqui has reiterated that the Foreign Ministry had launched a robust and round-the-clock outreach initiative to provide the overseas communities relief and assistance including food.

Commenting on the numbers, she said that approximately 43,000 Pakistanis in different countries had desired to be brought back to Pakistan.

Aisha Farooqui informed, “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.”

The second phase initiated from April 14-18 would bring back 2,000 Pakistani nationals including 474 from Saudi Arabia, 271 from Oman and 634 from United Arab Emirates, 270 from Japan and Thailand, 225 from Indonesia.

‘Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir’

The foreign office spokesperson has said that Pakistan strongly condemned the illegal actions of Indian security forces in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK).

Aisha Farooqui said that the continuous Indian atrocities were “regrettable” as the region and world fought the pandemic of coronavirus.

She said, “Pakistan is concerned over continued restrictions of movement in IOJK despite the growing number of coronavirus patients and fatalities,’ she said.

‘Indian Army Chief statement’

Aisha Farooqui also strongly rejected the ‘irresponsible, spurious and totally false allegations’ against Pakistan made by Indian Army Chief MM Naravane.

The FO spokesperson said that the attempt was to malign Pakistan and divert attention from human rights abuse in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK).

Earlier in the day, Indian army chief General MM Naravane had alleged that while India was busy “not only helping our own citizens but the rest of the world by sending medical teams and exporting medicines” during the coronavirus crisis, Pakistan was only “exporting terror”.