Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced on Thursday that China has promised to provide 500,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine to Pakistan by January 31.

Addressing the media today, he said he held a conversation with Chinese FM Wang Yi and discussed Pakistan's requirements for the vaccine. Qureshi said he wants to give the nation the good news that China has promised to provide 500,000 doses of vaccine to Pakistan by January 31.

"China has said you can send your airplane and immediately airlift this drug," Qureshi shared. He further said that he told the Chinese FM that Pakistan's requirement for vaccines is more and that it will need 1.1 million doses in the near future.

The Chinese FM replied that they plan to fulfil this requirement of ours as well by the end of February and the 1.1m doses will be made available to us, Qureshi added. "China has played an instrumental role in Pakistan’s fight against COVID-19 with technical assistance and medical expertise," Qureshi said.

Qureshi said that the first cache of the vaccine is a grant from China to be provided to Pakistan free of cost as a goodwill gesture.China has also agreed to manufacture the coronavirus vaccine in Pakistan, Qureshi announced.