WATCH: PAF plane being loaded with Covid vaccine at Beijing airport

ISLAMABAD: A special aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is being loaded with the first batch of a Covid-19 vaccine after landing at Beijing airport.

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar shared a video of the plane being loaded with 0.5 million doses of the vaccine gifted by China.

Also Read: Pakistan to begin COVID-19 vaccination drive next week: Asad Umar

He said: “The process of loading of coronavirus vaccine into the PAF plane at Beijing airport is underway. This plane carrying the vaccine will be departing for Pakistan in next few hours and the vaccination process will commence in Pakistan in next few day.”

پاکستان ائر فورس کے طیارے میں بیجنگ ائرپورٹ پر کرونا ویکسین لوڈ ہونے کا عمل جاری. اگلے چند گھنٹوں میں یہ طیارہ ویکسین لے کر پاکستان کے لئے روانہ ہو جائے گا اور اگلے چند دنوں میں پاکستان میں ویکسینیشن کا عمل شروع ہو جائے گا انشاءاللہ pic.twitter.com/4ciieWrLH9

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) January 31, 2021

Earlier today, the PAF aircraft departed for Beijing to bring the first batch of a Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccine back to the country. According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), all arrangements for storage, transportation and administration of the vaccine have been finalised.

On Jan 30, Federal Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar had announced that Pakistan will likely get 17 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine by March.

Also Read: China to gift 0.5mn doses of Sinopharm vaccine to Pakistan by Jan 31: FM Qureshi

In a Twitter post, he said: “Good news on covid vaccine front.” He added that Pakistan received a response letter from Covax which indicated “supply of up to 17 million doses of AstraZeneca in 1st half 2021”.