PPP politicising COVID-19 vaccine deployment, says Umar

(Karachi) Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is politicising the coronavirus vaccine deployment, local media reported on Monday.

Addressing a PTI workers' convention in Shikarpur regarding development projects in the area, Umar said that despite not having a "single dose" of the vaccine, the Sindh government is using politics against COVID-19 vaccine.

"The Sindh government is not telling the truth about its procurement and delivery of vaccines because they don't have a single vaccine dose," he stated. He said, "The PPP should be ashamed for politicising an issue pertaining to people's health."

Umar highlighted that the people of Sindh live in constant fear of their lives and when the injustices against the people of the province are discussed with the Sindh government then they remember the 18th amendment.

He said he will request Prime Minister Imran Khan to "take responsibility" for the people of Sindh and protection of their lives and livelihood.

The minister pointed out that soon after the coronavirus outbreak, Rs200 billion were distributed among the people of Pakistan, out of which Rs65 billion were spent on the people of Sindh.

Earlier today, a special Pakistan Air Force (PAF) plane arrived from Beijing in Islamabad with around half a million doses of coronavirus vaccine gifted by China.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan announced the arrival of the first tranche of Sinopharm vaccine from China. The SAPM thanked China and said he was grateful to the neighbor and everyone who made this happen.

He continued that the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) and provinces played an instrumental role in tackling coronavirus.