Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday expressed solidarity with the people of India battling the deadly wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying “we must fight this global challenge confronting humanity together”.
A record single-day rise of 3,46,786 coronavirus cases pushed India’s tally of infection to 1,66,10,481, while active cases crossed the 25-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.
The death toll rose to 1,89,544 with a record 2,624 more fatalities in a day, according to the data.
In a tweet, Mr. Khan said: “Our prayers for a speedy recovery go to all those suffering from the pandemic in our neighbourhood and the world”.
“I want to express our solidarity with the people of India as they battle a dangerous wave of COVID-19. We must fight this global challenge confronting humanity together,” he said on Twitter.
His tweet came after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed support to the people of India in the wake of a massive surge in COVID-19 cases in the country and extended his sympathies to the affected families.
Mr.Qureshi said the COVID-19 crisis is yet another reminder that humanitarian issues require responses beyond political consideration.
“We express our support to the people of India in the wake of the current wave of #COVID19 infections that has hit our region hard. On behalf of the people of Pakistan, I extend our heartfelt sympathies to the affected families in #India,” Mr. Qureshi tweeted.
“As a gesture of solidarity with the people of India in the wake of the current wave of #COVID19, Pakistan has officially offered relief & support to #India, including ventilators, Bi PAP, digital X ray machines, PPEs & other related items. We believe in a policy of #HumanityFirst,” Mr. Qureshi said in another tweet.
Pakistan continues to work with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries to foster cooperation to tackle the pandemic, he said.
Pakistan has reported 157 coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours, the highest since last year, while the new number of cases recorded were 5,908, the health ministry said on Saturday.
Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also expressed similar sentiments for the people of India.
“In these difficult times our prayers are with people of #India may God be kind and may these difficult times get over soon. #coronavirus,” he tweeted.
The tweets from the Pakistani leaders came amidst some signs of rapprochement in the relations between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue.
India’s decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 angered Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad. Pakistan also snapped all air and land links with India and suspended trade and railway services.
The militaries of the two countries, in a surprise announcement on February 25, said that they have agreed to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and other sectors.
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