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ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed asserted that Prime Minister Imran Khan was personally handling the matter of Saudi Arabia and other countries, which are not accepting the certificate of the Chinese-manufactured vaccine.
Talking to journalists in Islamabad today (Sunday), the minister said that PM Imran was in talks with leaders of the respective countries on the matter. He added that Chinese COVID-19 vaccines were the most exported brands in the world at present.
“Pakistan is doing far better than other countries in the region in terms of vaccination, “ he said, comparing the situation with India, where he said one would come across boards saying no vaccination for seven days.
The minister also pointed out that more people were willing to get vaccinated now and previously, there was propaganda against vaccination in the country.
‘Weak opposition’
Commenting on the opposition, Sheikh Rashid said that he had never seen such an incompetent, useless and weak opposition in this country. “I don’t see any opposition to Prime Minister Imran Khan,” he added.
He further said the budget would be presented on June 11 and he was expecting an increase in the wages of labourers and pensions. “All members of the estranged Jahangir Khan Tareen group of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf will vote in favour of Imran Khan’s budget,” he assured.
Chinese vaccine issue
Saudi Arabia is among the few countries that do not recognise vaccination certificates of Chinese vaccines despite the fact that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has now registered at least two Chinese-manufactured vaccines — Sinopharm and Sinovac.
Earlier this week, the government has decided to prioritise giving the Pfizer vaccine to citizens intending to go for Hajj, those who have a work visa and students planning to go to educational institutions in such countries that did not recognise vaccination certificates of Chinese vaccines.
“If every country makes it mandatory for visitors to be inoculated by their choice of vaccine [brands], the entire world would suffer,” he had said, adding that Chinese Covid-19 vaccines were the most exported brands in the world at present.
