ISLAMABAD, Apr 17 (APP):The 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.
“The 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.
Spokesperson Farooqui said the Embassy of Pakistan in Vienna was coordinating with the IAEA for an early shipment of the equipment.
She said the provision of equipment would augment Pakistan’s national capacity to conduct COVID-19 tests, which was crucial in containing the spread of the disease.
“Pakistan deeply values the contribution of IAEA and its leadership for helping the member states in their efforts to fight the 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.”
The FO spokesperson said Pakistan had a longstanding relationship with the IAEA and as its founding member, would continue to benefit from its technical assistance from various fields, including health, agriculture and energy, besides contributing to the Agency’s work of promoting peaceful use of nuclear technology.
On repatriation of stranded Pakistanis abroad amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Farooqui said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its embassies and missions had launched a robust and round-the-clock outreach initiative to provide the overseas communities relief and assistance, including food.
She said approximately 43,000 Pakistanis abroad had desired to be brought back to Pakistan, for which a comprehensive and phase repatriation plan from different countries was 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 would bring back 2,000 Pakistani nationals, including 474 from Saudi Arabia mostly Umrah pilgrims, 271 from Oman and 634 from the United Arab Emirates, 270 from Japan and Thailand, and 225 from Indonesia, she added.
The special flights, she said, would 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 the Pakistani nationals.
Farooqui said Pakistan strongly condemned illegal and unilateral actions of Indian security forces in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK), adding that continuation of atrocities was “regrettable” as the region and world fought the pandemic of coronavirus.
“Pakistan is concerned over continued restrictions of movement in the IOJK despite growing number of corona patients and fatalities,” she said.
She said blockage in the IOJK compromising the supply of medicines and medical equipment was a serious point of concern.
The FO spokesperson strongly rejected the allegations levelled by Indian Army Chief MM Naravane on Friday morning and said the attempt was to malign Pakistan and divert the world attention from its human rights abuse in the IOJK.
She mentioned that the Indian occupation forces recently committed 765 ceasefire violations resulting in several casualties. In 2019, India violated 3,351 times through indiscriminate firings at the Line of Control and the Working Boundary.
“Pakistan continue to respond to India’s belligerence. We remind India once again to respect the 2003 ceasefire agreement,” she said.
Spokesperson Farooqui said Pakistan welcomed the joint communique of G20 finance ministers and their efforts for global economic recovery as the world fought the coronavirus pandemic.
She said on April 12, Prime Minister Imran Khan appealed for global initiative of relief, underlying that the global recession could be overcome with coordinated efforts.
To a question, the spokesperson rebutted the statement issued by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), and said the Government of Pakistan was protecting all of its citizens without any discrimination.
Under the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme, out of the 6.5 million beneficiaries that have received cash assistance in Category-I, 400,000 (6.15%) were non-Muslims, she added.
She told the media that Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, and General Austin Scott Miller, Commander Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, visited Pakistan on Thursday and called on Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa. During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, overall regional security situation, including Afghan refugees issue and Afghan reconciliation process, were discussed.
To a question, she said the sale of missile systems, along with technical assistance and logistic support to India by the United States at the time when there was a global effort to fight the pandemic was particularly disturbing. Pakistan had articulated its concerns regarding the sale of sophisticated weapons to India which would further destabilize the region.
“This will destabilize the already volatile situation in South Asia. There is a high possibility of India conducting a false flag operation while global efforts are directed towards combating the pandemic,” she remarked.
The spokesperson apprised the media that the Kartarpur border point had been closed till April 24, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reopening of the corridor depended on the situation with regards to the global health emergency, she added.
She said the Pakistan Army had shot down the Indian Quadcopter which crossed the LOC. Such anti-Pakistan activities of the Indian armed forces were irresponsible.
Pakistan would continue to respond to such violations in a befitting manner, the spokesperson added.