ISLAMABAD, July 22: Pakistan is witnessing a downturn in the coronavirus pandemic cases, with the number of recovered cases outnumbering the tally of confirmed cases, after government efforts and smart lockdowns in various cities, claimed Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday, Express Tribune reported.

He said this during a phone call with his counterpart in the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Qureshi thanked Sheikh Abdullah for inquiring about his health, his prayers and best wishes. He also apprised the UAE foreign minister of the latest situation of the outbreak in Pakistan, the report said

Qureshi congratulated the leadership and the people of the UAE on successful launch of the first Arab interplanetary mission.

He conveyed that the UAE’s Mars Mission (Hope Probe) is a pride for all Muslims and a great contribution to human knowledge.

According to the statement issued with regards to the phone call, the Express tribune reported that the UAE foreign minister appreciated the response of the Pakistan government in tackling the pandemic.

Sheikh Abdullah also highlighted efforts of the UAE government towards controlling the pandemic and shared that the UAE is engaged with efforts towards developing a vaccine for the virus in collaboration with its international partners.

The two ministers agreed to meet as soon as the pandemic is over, said the statement.

The nationwide tally of confirmed coronavirus cases stands at 267,428, with 5,677 fatalities and 210,468 recoveries. At least 18,331 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours while the country’s testing capacity remains even higher.