Pakistan will receive its first purchase of over one million doses of Chinese Sinopharm and CanSino Covid-19 vaccines by the end of March, federal minister Asad Umar has told Reuters.

This will be the first consignment of Covid-19 vaccines the government has purchased from any manufacturer.

“We have purchased one million and 60,000 doses of Sinopharm and CanSino vaccines,” Umar said. “We will be receiving the consignment before the end of March.”

He said the government was in talks with the same companies to purchase a further 7m doses of the vaccines.

Opinion

Editorial

Budget presser
Updated 14 Jun, 2026

Budget presser

If the FBR falters, the government will find itself in hot water sooner rather than later.
Muharram precautions
14 Jun, 2026

Muharram precautions

WITH Muharram due to start next week, the authorities have already begun annual exercises to ensure that the ...
Blood bequests
14 Jun, 2026

Blood bequests

WORLD Blood Donor Day offers a moment of “gratitude, advocacy and renewed commitment” for thalassaemia patients...
Sustainable path?
Updated 13 Jun, 2026

Sustainable path?

The FY27 budget is the first clear signal that the government is ready to transition from stabilisation to growth.
Prioritising education
13 Jun, 2026

Prioritising education

THOUGH the improvement in the country’s literacy rate may be slight, as highlighted by the Economic Survey, it ...
Poverty’s rise
13 Jun, 2026

Poverty’s rise

AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular...