The Punjab Health Department on Thursday took notice of and ordered investigation into a “fake entry” of Covid-19 vaccination in the government portal under the name of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who left Pakistan for the United Kingdom in Nov 2019 — months before the first case of the virus was even found in the country.
According to a letter sent by the Punjab’s Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the “fake entry” in the National Immunisation Management System was made from Government Kot Khawaja Saeed Hospital in Lahore.
The letter stated that the entry of Nawaz Sharif inoculation with the first dose of Sinovac vaccine was made on Sept 22 (Wednesday).
“It is hereby requested to kindly investigate and take necessary action against the fake entry,” the letter reads.
Later in a press talk, Punjab government spokesperson Fayyazul Hassan Chohan said an investigation had been ordered and anyone found responsible would be punished.
Chohan said fake entries of vaccinations were being reported all over the world. “Surf the internet and you will see how countries are coping up with the challenge of fake Covid-19 vaccine entries,” he said.
‘This could draw international reaction’
Maryam Nawaz
During a press conference in Islamabad earlier in the day, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz expressed her surprise at the “fake vaccination” of her father, saying, “this could draw an international reaction over the kind of system Pakistan has for vaccine administration and registration.”
“It only exposes the system and its vaccine registration mechanism,” she said, adding: “I am worried about it.”
