Abdullah Mustafvi
Panic caused by pandemic has mounted on human nerves! Persistent battering by all media quarters, besides sensitizing the people about due care, has created a deep fear in minds. Reports coming from EU especially Italy, France and Spain are really heart wrenching. Unexpectedly, countries with few of the most reliable health care systems of the world have failed to deal with Covid-19 pandemic. Sudden surge in US has been surprising for most of the world as the country known for enormous power, stability and flawed governance seems kneeling in front of invisible virus threat. There are going to be larger than expectation effects of this pandemic on international economy. Closure of major trade hubs is going to affect employers and employees alike! Speedy transmission is a major threatening capability of this virus which at the moment can only be dealt through extra care in personal hygiene and tight preventive measures like self- isolation and/ or social distancing. Peculiar socio-economic dynamics in Pakistan have made battle against Covid-19 more complex and challenging on many accounts. Densely populated cities and towns with overcrowded residential as well as commercial buildings are major hindrance in implementing an effective lockdown. Otherwise, wide scale poverty and high ratio of daily wagers in society makes it difficult to survive under prolonged lockdown. Fighting a pandemic, with multiple governance weaknesses and carefree social attitudes like ours, is not an easy challenge. Public protests in Karachi and Lahore for much needed relief or aid are the initial signs of upcoming crisis. Despite attractive announcement of grand relief package, federal and provincial governments have not yet been able to deliver any worthwhile relief to the needy masses. Whatever could reach to the people was all served by private organizations mostly operating 24/7 for mass welfare countrywide. As evident, pandemic and ongoing lockdown, implemented in haphazard manner with lot of hesitation, is gradually exposing many fault lines . Meager allocations for health and public welfare are being compared with heavy security oriented expenditures all over the world. Pakistan is no exception to this rising phenomenon! Habitual critics of armed forces have found a new reason and a twisted logic to point fingers upon those essential defense expenditures which are a compulsion rather than a privileged luxury. Surviving with a hostile and coercive neighbor like India demands a permanent response capability to any unexpected aggression. Balakot surgical strike misadventure from India is the most relevant example which brought both nuclear countries at the verge of war, it was well calculated application of war potential which enabled Pakistan to withstand the ill-intended aggression of India. Despite multiple security compulsions, there could be no justification for persistent negligence deeply inbuilt in existing governmental structures towards public wellbeing and social safety. Economic deterioration rather handicap has forced multi-dimensional compromises on developmental expenses. Health, education, safety and justice are few of the most affected areas related to common masses. Besides this poor governance, corrupt practices and political turmoil accumulatively leave nothing good for the deprived masses. It is obvious that governmental departments will not be able to cope with the uphill challenge of covid-19 pandemic. We have already seen the worst side of inefficiency at Taftan entry point and airports. A deadly combination of inefficiency and negligence during screening and quarantining actually contributed in rapid transmission of the virus. Hesitant and lousy decision making about lockdown has further added to worsen the transmission. Initial positive calls of unity made by opposition have evaporated and traditional culture of political rivalry is visible in all moves. Bad taste in conference of parliamentary leaders actually exposed the real mind set prevailing in ruling and opposition camps. No one is in a mood to miss a chance of scoring a point against political opponent even in the middle of a pandemic. Though, army has been called upon by the federal and provincial governments but this traditional step do not relieve them from fundamental obligation of ensuring the public safety through all possible means. Top army leadership has timely informed the Sindh government about rising dissatisfaction and anxiety among poor masses due to delay in provision of relief. Karachi and Lahore have witnessed noticeable public protests. Decision makers should correctly read these omens which are not at all good by any means. Political leadership, irrespective of ruling or opposition benches, should understand that a unified struggle is the only viable option to fight out the invisible warrior. Under present testing times Pakistan needs unity , good governance , well-coordinated speedy relief work and moral boosting actions from all quarters of society specially the political elite.
