China on Friday sent another consignment of medical supplies carrying two tons of medical equipment to Pakistan to help Islamabad fight coronavirus pandemic.
The supplies arrived at Pakistan-China border at Khunjerab Pass and included face masks, testing kits, ventilators and protective clothes. The consignment was handed over to Pakistani authorities at Khunjerab Pass from where an army helicopter further transported those.
“At least 2 tonnes of masks, test kits, ventilators, medical protective clothes worth Rs 67 million were handed over [to Pakistani officials] at Khunjerab Pass,” according to a statement by Chinese Embassy in Pakistan. “This is the friendship higher than mountains!” the embassy tweeted.
A spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad told Global Times on Friday that Pakistan is facing a severe challenge in the shape of COVID-19 outbreak. “This batch of assistance from China is urgently needed by Pakistan. The Xinjiang regional government took the responsibility of purchasing and transferring. China and Pakistan made the decision within three days to temporarily open the Khunjerab Pass and send two tons of medical supplies to Pakistan,” the spokesperson said. The Kashi government quickly accomplished the preparation work on the Chinese side, including customs clearance, cleaning the roads and coordination work, which ensured the smooth transfer of medical supplies, the spokesperson said.
The Embassy also made a livestream of the event, with hundreds of netizens praising and making comments. According to a screenshot of the livestream, there was a road swept by working staff on the snowy-capped Khunjerab Pass and a donation ceremony in front of the port. A netizen named Amjad Sohail said, “A friend in need is a friend indeed!” Another netizen Jamshed Khokhar said that there is an old saying in China that “the grace of dripping water should be reciprocated by a gushing spring. China and Pakistan share the same views. China-Pakistan friendship stands forever!” Some netizens also said that China’s assistance help cement Pakistan’s confidence of defeating the virus and “with the reliable support, nothing is undefeatable!”
The Khunjerab Pass, with the altitude of more than 4,700 meters, is reported to be the highest port in the world. It remains closed from December 1 to March 31 due to extreme cold weather. The Khunjerab Pass is usually opened on April 1 which marks the end of winter in that part, but due to the global outbreak of Covid-19, the border between Pakistan and China has been closed for an indefinite period.
A day earlier, China had asked Pakistan to open the border between the two countries for one day on Friday so that medical supplies meant to combat coronavirus could be transported. A letter, written by the Chinese Embassy to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with copies to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the government of Gilgit-Baltistan and the Ministry of National Health Services, stated that the governor of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China would like to donate a batch of medical materials to GB. According to the letter, the governor donated 200,000 ordinary face masks, 2,000 N-95 face masks, five ventilators, 2,000 testing kits and 2,000 medical protective clothes mainly used by doctors and paramedics. The donation is in response to a request made by GB Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman to the governor of Xinjiang region to combat coronavirus in the province.
Earlier this week, a plane carrying 50,000 coronavirus testing kits had arrived in Karachi. This was the second bulk consignment sent by China’s Alibaba and Jack Ma Foundation within days, also containing 500,000 surgical masks and 50,000 N95 respirators. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Consul General of China Li Bijian and other officials had received the supplies at Karachi airport.
On March 26, Yan Chen, managing director of Challenge Group of Companies from China had called on Prime Minister Imran Khan to donate 15,000 protective suits for Pakistani doctors and paramedical staff battling the pandemic. To meet the increasing demand for protective gear, China also plans to produce the protective gear in Lahore, Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing had said on the occasion.
Pakistan is set to receive around 20 tonnes of medical goods and 20 ventilators on an urgent basis from China this week, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt Gen Mohammed Afzal said during a media talk on Friday. Additionally, two more planes will bring 100 tonnes of urgently needed medical equipment from Beijing and Chengdu next week.
Following Governor Punjab Chaudhry Sarwar’s request, a Chinese university has also agreed to work with Pakistani medical experts to convert a university campus into a 1,000-bed field hospital in Lahore. The university would also work in collaboration with Pakistani scientists to develop testing kits and other equipment in Pakistan.
