Dawood Ahmed :
The Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has arrived in Islamabad on Thursday. The world-fame philanthropist called on Prime Minister Imran Khan during his first-ever visit to Pakistan. Sharing pictures of the meeting on Twitter, Senator Faisal Javed Khan said Gates “greatly appreciated steps [regarding polio eradication] in Pakistan, the National Command and Operation Centre’s (NCOC) performance in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic and initiatives such as the Ehsaas program”.
Later in the day, PM Imran hosted a luncheon in Gates’ honor. The Prime Minister’s Office, which shared pictures from the luncheon, added that the Microsoft co-founder was visiting the country on the premier’s “special invitation”.
NCOC visit
Earlier in the day, Gates met Planning and Development Minister and NCOC head Asad Umar and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr. Faisal Sultan.
In a statement, the NCOC said the philanthropist attended the forum’s morning session.
During his visit, Gates was informed about the NCOC’s role and methodology, its achievements since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the coronavirus situation in Pakistan as well as the non-pharmaceutical interventions by the forum to control the spread of the disease.
