Pak says 'committed to regional cooperation' day after attending India-led COVID workshop

Ten countries participated in the India-led 'COVID-19 Management: Experience, Good Practices and Way Forward' workshop. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Faisal Sultan expressed that the country is committed to 'regional co-operation to meet transnational challenges' to battle against Covid-19.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented five proposals to manage the ongoing pandemic situation in the workshop that was hailed by participant nations. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Pakistan were the countries that sought solutions through this workshop, while they shared best practices followed by them.

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Faisal Sultan's tweet read: 

Given the current situation where cases are rising and the vaccination drive has started in India and a few other nations, PM Modi called for greater co-operation between the South-Asian and Indian Ocean Island nations. In order to address 'medical contingencies' Modi suggested on creating a 'regional air ambulance agreement', along with a speical visa scheme for doctors and nurses that will allow them to travel within the region during emergencies.

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The Indian PM then suggested on creation of a regional platform to "collate, compile and study data about the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines" among the people of the region. PM Modi in his fifth proposal offered to help the participant nations with 'India's successful health policies and schemes'. 

The representatives of participant countries agreed that such co-operation through workshops is the need of the hour and they proposed a structured discussion so the proposals by PM Modi can be converted into actions, to combat the pandemic. All countries agreed to co-operate with India along with Pakistan, while they all sought assistance from India in developing and procuring Covid-19 vaccines, equipments and training, ANI reported.