Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif ─ replying to a letter from US Ambas­sador to Islamabad Paul W. Jones ─ said the pandemic "knows no borders" and has wreaked havoc across the world.

He said: "A failure to deal with the scourge collectively has consequences. The situation is ripe for the US to take a leadership in the fight against Covid-19."

Shehbaz also thanked the US for their assistance during the pandemic, saying: "We are deeply grateful for all the assistance and cooperation the US is providing to Pakistan to effectively fight the virus."