ISLAMABAD:US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome called on Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar here on Wednesday. Both the leaders reiterated their commitment to widen and deepen their longstanding ties.

According to the Foreign Office, State Minister Hina Khar congratulated Mr Blome on his appointment as US ambassador to Pakistan. During their meeting, both the leaders reiterated their commitment to widen and deepen longstanding Pak-US ties. They also reaffirmed engagement in trade, investment, energy and health sectors. Both underlined importance of people-to-people ties and Congressional engagement.

Pakistan receives four mobile laboratories from US

The United States (US) government on Wednesday handed over four mobile laboratories to Pakistan for diagnosing diseases. While addressing the laboratories handover ceremony at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad, US Ambassador Donald Blome said that the ministry of health and the NIH deserved tribute and congratulations for controlling the coronavirus pandemic in Pakistan.

“The US government has been working with Pakistan on health issues for the past 60 years,” he said. “During the coronavirus epidemic, the US worked to make health professionals and institutions more effective in many countries around the world, including Pakistan,” he added.

“The global coronavirus pandemic is not over yet. Work to control the disease is still underway,” he stated. “The way Pakistan controlled the pandemic, and established an effective system of clean water and sewerage, is commendable,” the US ambassador commended.

“We congratulate the way the countrywide vaccination against coronavirus was ensured in Pakistan in the difficult circumstances,” he added. On the occasion, NIH Executive Director Maj-Gen (retd) Dr Aamer Ikram said that the USAID had played a pivotal role in controlling any epidemic in Pakistan. “The state-of-the-art laboratory in this 45-foot-long container is a significant addition to Pakistan’s key assets,” he pointed out.