Bill Gates Visits Pakistan for the First Time Ever

Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist, Bill Gates, has arrived in Islamabad on a one-day visit. He was welcomed by government officials at Nur Khan Air Base, according to sources.

Well-informed sources told ProPakistani that Gates has already called on Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, and will later meet President Arif Alvi who will present him with the Hilal-e-Pakistan award at the President House.

The billionaire philanthropist, who is also co-chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation — a significant contributor to global polio eradication — was briefed on Pakistan’s efforts to eradicate the infection.

It was apprised that national-level Polio vaccination campaigns have been launched in December 2021 and January 2022 with the integration of routine immunizations for children. There is effective coordination among Federal and Provincial Governments with support from law enforcement agencies for the provision of security in risk areas. Likewise, concerned officials apprised the meeting about resources allocated towards polio campaign and expressed full commitment towards making Pakistan polio-free.

The PM remarked that Afghanistan is the primary source of Polio incidence in the two bordering countries, and requires urgent international support to avert humanitarian crisis including health emergency. Pakistan is providing full support for the sake of 40 million Afghan people in need of basic amenities, he added.

Bill Gates met the chairman of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), Asad Umar, and SAPM, Dr. Faisal Sultan, during his visit to the country’s nerve center for Covid-19 response. Gates and his team attended the NCOC’s morning session, where they learned about the forum’s function, methods, and accomplishments since COVID came, as well as the current situation in the country, including the NCOC’s implementation of several protocols to fight infections.

Gates thanked the Prime Minister for inviting him and extending warm hospitality on his first-ever visit to Pakistan. He appreciated the efforts of the leadership, health workers, and parents for working tirelessly to ensure that polio never paralyzes a child again. Gates said that despite COVID-19 restrictions, Pakistan has performed amazingly and has continued with polio vaccinations.

Gates is later expected to visit the COVID-19 treatment facility in Chak Shahzad before departing Pakistan today.

Prime Minister also hosted a lunch in honor of Bill Gates that was attended by Federal Ministers Shaukat Tarin, Asad Umer, Fawad Ahmed, Khusro Bakhtiar, SAPM Dr. Faisal Sultan, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chief Ministers of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan, and Prime Minister AJ&K.

Later, President Dr. Arif Alvi conferred the award of Hilal-e-Pakistan on Bill Gates in recognition of his services for the eradication of polio and the betterment of the people of Pakistan, in an investiture ceremony, held at Aiwan-e-Sadr, on 17-02-2022.