GENEVA: Pakistan, Nigeria and Indonesia will be among the biggest recipients of free Covid-19 vaccines before June — more than 10 million doses each — the Covax scheme announced Tuesday.
Some 238.2 million doses will be distributed around the world by the end of May through the program aimed at boosting access to coronavirus jabs in poorer nations.
Though vaccination campaigns have gathered pace globally, the majority of injections have been administered in wealthier countries while many nations have yet to receive a single dose.
The Covax scheme, which aims to ensure equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines, on Tuesday outlined plans to deliver to 142 countries and territories by May 31, in its first wave of distribution.
The five biggest confirmed recipients are Pakistan (14,640,000 doses), Nigeria (13,656,000), Indonesia (11,704,800), Bangladesh (10,908,000) and Brazil (9,122,400).
They are followed by Ethiopia (7,620,000), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (5,928,000), Mexico (5,532,000), Egypt (4,389,600) and Vietnam (4,176,000).
Iran, Myanmar, Kenya and Uganda are also in line for more than three million doses each.
Overall by the end of May, India is likely to be the biggest recipient of Covax doses, but its allocation was not finalized before the publication of the distribution list on Tuesday.
The Pacific island nation of Tuvalu is meanwhile set to receive the smallest number of doses at 4,800, followed by Nauru and Monaco with 7,200 each.
Covax is co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Gavi vaccine alliance, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.
The scheme is aiming to distribute enough doses to vaccinate up to 27 percent of the population in the 92 poorest participating economies by the end of the year, with at least 1.3 billion doses intended to go their way.
“Covax’s mission is to help end the acute phase of the pandemic as soon as possible,” said Gavi chief executive Seth Berkley.
The first wave of deliveries include some 237 million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, being manufactured in India and South Korea, and another 1.2 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which requires special ultra-cold storage.
Both vaccines require two injected doses.
Ghana, Ivory Coast, South Korea, India and Colombia have already received their first deliveries of vaccines through Covax.
Nigeria, Angola, Cambodia all received their first vaccine doses via Covax on Tuesday, with the DR Congo also scheduled for a delivery.
Senegal was set to get its first batch on Wednesday, and some 20 countries in total are due to receive shipments this week.
Ghana received the first flight of Covax AstraZeneca doses on February 24 — and President Nana Akufo-Addo publically took the first shot on Monday.
He said Tuesday it was “imperative” that Africa develops its own vaccine production capacity to facilitate easy and affordable access to doses.
The African Union Commission will host a meeting on April 12 aimed at developing a roadmap for the continent to start manufacturing Covid-19 vaccines.
Some 198 countries and territories are participating in Covax, though not all are in the first wave of distribution.
For the 92 lower- and lower-middle income economies in the scheme, funding is covered through donations.
For richer countries, buying into Covax’s bulk purchases operates like a back-up insurance policy for their own direct deals with vaccine producers.
Some wealthy countries were on the distribution list, with South Korea in line for 2.2 million doses, Canada 1.6 million, Saudi Arabia 1.5 million, Singapore 245,000 and New Zealand 211,000.
Any vaccine being rolled out through Covax requires the WHO seal of approval — so far given to just the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs.
Novavax will provide 1.1 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses to Covax, while the facility has also signed deals with Sanofi-GSK, and with Johnson and Johnson.
Covax details rollout of 238 million vaccine doses, Pakistan among biggest recipients
https://arab.news/52pdq
Covax details rollout of 238 million vaccine doses, Pakistan among biggest recipients
- Covax aims to distribute two billion vaccine doses in poorer nations by the end of the year, some 198 countries and territories are participating
- Five biggest recipients are Pakistan (14,640,000 doses), Nigeria (13,656,000), Indonesia (11,704,800), Bangladesh (10,908,000) Brazil (9,122,400)
Iraqi envoy calls for joint security efforts with Pakistan on national army’s 104th anniversary
- Ambassador Lafta attended a ceremony as chief guest at the National Counter Terrorism Center in Pabbi
- Pakistan and Iraq have strengthened defense ties in recent years, cooperating in the fight against militancy
ISLAMABAD: Iraqi Ambassador to Pakistan Hamid Abbas Lafta emphasized the need for joint security efforts to combat militancy during a ceremony marking the 104th anniversary of his country’s national army, according to Pakistan’s military media wing on Wednesday.
Pakistan and Iraq have strengthened ties in recent years through defense cooperation, with Islamabad providing training to Iraqi security forces. In 2014, Iraq procured Super Mushak trainer aircraft from Pakistan to bolster defense relations between the two Muslim-majority nations.
Lafta attended the ceremony to mark the anniversary of the Iraqi army as the chief guest at the National Counter Terrorism Center in Pabbi, Sarai Alamgir, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
“The Iraqi ambassador stressed the importance of joint security and counter-terrorism efforts between Iraq and Pakistan,” it said in a statement.
During his speech, Lafta praised the sacrifices made by the Iraqi army in the fight against militancy and emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation between Pakistan and Iraq.
He highlighted the importance of security collaboration between the two countries and commended their joint efforts in combating militancy. Lafta called for further cooperation to benefit the people of both nations, expressing his commitment to forge a “united front” in the fight against extremism.
The Iraqi envoy also pledged to work with Pakistan for regional peace and to strengthen the friendship between the two countries.
Last year in August, Pakistan’s Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, met Iraq’s Secretary of Defense, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Dawood Salman, to discuss enhancing defense and security cooperation between the two states.
A few months before, in May, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif met Lafta, seeking greater cooperation in all fields of mutual interest, particularly in defense.
Qatar Airways denies reports of office closures in Pakistan
- The airline says flights to and from Pakistan have been operating as per schedule
- Local media had claimed Qatar Airways had shut down offices in Pakistani cities
KARACHI: Qatar Airways on Wednesday denied media reports claiming it was shutting down operations in Pakistan and saying its “offices remain open.”
The airline, Qatar’s national carrier, was founded in 1993 and is wholly owned by the State of Qatar. Operating from its hub at Hamad International Airport in Doha, it has become one of the world’s leading airlines, known for its modern fleet, luxurious amenities, and extensive route network.
The clarification followed local media reports and statements from travel agents earlier this week, alleging that Qatar Airways had closed its offices and call centers across Pakistan, even as flights continued to operate on schedule.
“Qatar Airways flights to and from Pakistan are operating as usual and our offices remain open,” the airline said in a post on X. “Recent published reports claiming that Qatar Airways has closed offices in Pakistan are incorrect.”
Qatar Airways began operations in Pakistan in 1994, the year the airline was established.
Initially, it started flying to Karachi, but it has expanded its services to other major Pakistani cities, including Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar, since then.
The airline offers both domestic and international connections.
Pakistan PM to inaugurate faceless customs assessment system today during Karachi visit
- Launched as a pilot project last month, the system aims to streamline customs clearance through automation
- Shehbaz Sharif will also visit PSX to celebrate its achievement as the second-best performing global stock market
KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to inaugurate the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) new Faceless Customs Assessment System at the Karachi Port Trust during his daylong visit to the city, which began on Wednesday, to examine several key initiatives aimed at improving economic efficiency and health care services.
The Faceless Customs Assessment System, launched as a pilot project in December 2024, aims to streamline customs clearance through automation. By minimizing human interaction, the system seeks to enhance transparency, reduce clearance times and improve trade facilitation.
The initiative marks the first step in a broader government plan to scale up the system to upcountry ports and border stations in the coming months.
“The Prime Minister will visit the South Asia Pakistan Terminal at Karachi Port Trust, where he will inaugurate the FBR’s automated customs clearance system, the Faceless Customs Assessment System,” the PM Office said in a statement. “The Prime Minister had directed the installation of this system during his last visit to Karachi.”
Pakistan seeks to modernize its port facilities to transform itself into a transit trade hub. The country has also invited landlocked Central Asian nations to utilize its ports for access to global sea lanes, enhancing regional trade connectivity.
Sharif is also scheduled to attend a ceremony at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) to celebrate its achievement as the second-best performing stock market globally in 2024, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index rising 56 percent over the year.
His PSX visit comes at a time when the government aims to unlock both foreign and domestic investment to overcome a prolonged economic crisis. Pakistani officials have described the market’s strong performance as a reflection of growing investor confidence and the administration’s commitment to fiscal reforms and improved business facilitation.
Sharif will also attend the launch of the “Manual of Clinical Practice Guidelines” at Aga Khan University, calling it a milestone in Pakistan’s health care sector. The guidelines are expected to standardize medical practices and improve health care delivery nationwide.
US seeks prisoner swap with Afghanistan involving Guantanamo detainee arrested in Pakistan — media
- Outgoing US administration seeks to bring back three Americans in exchange for Muhammad Rahim Al-Afghani
- Al-Aghani reportedly had ties with bin Laden and was the last person brought to the CIA interrogation program
WASHINGTON: The Biden administration is negotiating with Afghanistan to exchange Americans detained in the country for at least one high-profile prisoner held in Guantanamo Bay with alleged ties to former Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
Representatives of the White House and the US State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the report. Representatives for the Afghan Taliban also did not immediately respond.
US President Joe Biden’s administration is seeking the return of three Americans seized in 2022 — Ryan Corbett, George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi — in exchange for Muhammad Rahim Al-Afghani, the WSJ reported.
A source familiar with the matter confirmed to Reuters that the Biden administration has been negotiating with the Taliban since at least July on a US proposal to exchange Corbett, Glezmann and Habibi for Rahim.
The Taliban, who deny holding Habibi, countered with an offer to exchange Glezmann and Corbett for Rahim and two others, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Corbett and Habibi were detained in separate incidents in August 2022 a year after the Taliban seized Kabul amid the chaotic US troop withdrawal. Glezmann was detained later in 2022 while visiting as a tourist.
A spokesperson for the National Security Council said they could not confirm the WSJ story, but added that the administration was “working around the clock” to secure the release of the three Americans.
Rahim’s lawyer, James Connell, told Reuters that neither the Biden administration nor the Taliban had informed him or Rahim of the negotiations.
“It does seem important to include Rahim or his representative in the conversation,” said Connell. “As it happens, he is willing to be traded or exchanged.”
Rahim was “the last person brought into the CIA torture program,” said Connell, referring to an agency program instituted after the Sept. 11, 2001, Al Qaeda attacks that used harsh interrogation methods on suspected Islamist militants.
The CIA denies the methods amounted to torture.
A Senate intelligence committee report on the agency’s so-called enhanced interrogation program called Rahim an “Al Qaeda facilitator” and said that he was arrested in Pakistan in June 2007 and “rendered” to the CIA the following month.
He was kept in a secret CIA “black site,” where he was subjected to tough interrogation methods, including extensive sleep deprivation, and then sent to Guantanamo Bay in March 2008, the report said.
The US-Taliban talks have been in motion since July, according to the WSJ, which cited sources who attended a classified House Foreign Affairs Committee briefing last month with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan.
On Monday, Biden’s administration sent 11 Guantanamo detainees to Oman, reducing the prisoner population at the detention center in Cuba by nearly half as part of its effort to close the facility as the president prepares to leave office Jan. 20.
Protesters in Pakistan’s north continue blockade of key highway to China over power outages
- Residents of Gilgit-Baltistan started a sit-in on Jan.1, vowing to protest until they got reliable electricity
- Despite the area’s significance, some residents say they only get electricity for 30 minutes in 24 hours
ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of protesters in Pakistan’s northern Hunza Valley blocked the Karakoram Highway (KKH) for the sixth consecutive day on Tuesday, demonstrating against severe power outages during the region’s freezing winter.
The protest, which began on January 1, involves local residents, political parties and civil society groups who vowed to continue their sit-in until their demands for reliable electricity were met.
Demonstrators on Tuesday voiced frustration over the Gilgit-Baltistan government’s failure to ensure even a few hours of power each day, saying over 80,000 people were struggling for basic needs.
The KKH, a vital trade and strategic route linking Pakistan with China, has been obstructed at Aliabad, the district headquarters of Hunza. The area plays a critical role in bilateral trade facilitated by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which has increased since an agreement to keep the Khunjerab Pass open year-round for economic exchanges.
“This is a nerve-breaking power outage in Hunza,” said Baba Jan, a protester, speaking at the sit-in. “We are getting power only 30-40 minutes in 24 hours.
“It is very cold here,” he added. “The temperature drops to minus 15 at night. Students don’t have Internet due to the power outage. There are issues in lighting, heating and cooking that people are facing here.”
Rehan Shah, another protester agreed, emphasizing the area’s important defense and strategic location.
“It’s the gate of CPEC and Pakistan-China connectivity,” he noted. “People here are hardly getting power for one hour and twenty minutes during the daytime. They’ve been out protesting on the streets for the last six days.”
Power cuts, known locally as load shedding, are a chronic issue in Pakistan, with many areas facing significant disruptions. The harsh winters in Gilgit-Baltistan exacerbate the problem, leaving residents without adequate heating or access to essential services.
Last week, Hamid Hussain, an engineer at the Gilgit-Baltistan Water and Power Department, acknowledged the issue but attributed it to technical limitations.
“The region heavily relies on hydropower, which often faces disruption in winter due to the freezing of rivers and lakes,” he told Arab News.
“There are 137 power stations in Gilgit-Baltistan,” he added. “The installed capacity of these power stations is 190 megawatts. However, power generation is 140 megawatts during the summer while 76 megawatts during the winter due to the low flow of water.”
Protesters have demanded thermal power generators to supplement energy needs during the winter, but Hussain said they were costly and were hard to implement due to financial constraints.
