Dr. Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan
Regional Geopolitical Analyst & Member Board of Experts, Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS), Islamabad.
Although, government of Pakistan has announced the “biggest relief of package” of its history i.e. Rs.1.3 trillion or US$ 7.8 billion, but still “Economics of Charity and Humanitarian Assistance” should be mantra of the government and foremost priority of our society. Economics of charity does not confine only to financial assistance, good morality, spirits and conduct may also be essential part of it which may be important for our collective co-existence and national survival during this pandemic COVID-19 in the country.
COVID-19 has changed the “meanings” and “colours” of life and of course “channels of production” too. Industries are now closed. In this bleak socio-economic senior government of Pakistan has already requested all the international monetary organizations to “waived-off” debts of the countries so that countries can easily fight against “invisible virus” with a “value-addition” response.
Domestically, government of Pakistan and its vital organs especially SBP has already announced different “effective policies” and measures to curtail bad effects of COVID-19 on our macro-economy and its associated sectors.
In order to “mitigate” spillover economic repercussions in the industrial sector, SBP has announced “Re-financing facility” to provide soft loans to SME, and industries on 4-5 percent of markup for the three months for the management of wages and salaries of their employees. It is a timely step to stop “imminent” lay-offs in the industrial and private sectors in the country.
SBP has also announced “Deferral of Principal Repayment” scheme according to which sponsors can apply for one year relief in repayment for their already restructured and rescheduled loans. It is another giant step to assist the banking industry of the country and its clients as well in the time of national crisis which has global outreach.
Concrete efforts should be immediately institutionalized to formulate a comprehensive policy for “food and energy security” in the country. In terms of food we are “self sufficient” but in case of energy we must further enhance our “national capacity” of “storage and “supplies”. There is an urgent need to take string measures to protect our “strategic assets” in the ongoing crisis of COVID-19 which has already produced dint in the concept of national and as well as human “security paradigm”.
On the request of federal government, Chinese government has been assisting us through supplies of crucial medicines, medical staff and stuffs. There is an urgent need to learn from “Crisis Management Model of China” for eradication of COVID-19 from our soils. Salient features of Chinese Crisis Management not confine to “unity of command”, “bold political initiatives”, “collective national response”, “massive public awareness” but also easy and smooth supplies of necessary medicines, staff and stuff and last but not least, use of artificial intelligence technologies. There is also urgent need to follow post-COVID-19 “community mobilization” policies of Chinese President Xi who has been very busy in streets, public parks, streets, factories and conferences to boost the confidence of its people to go for work which is now paying its dividends.
Management of “pours borders” is the need of the hour otherwise; all efforts of Sindh, Baluchistan and KPK government will not be succeeded. Lack of medical 7 testing facilities at borders has badly exposed us against deadly COVID-19. Unfortunate incident of Iranian border has flooded COVID-19 infected human bombs in the country which has created prospects of some kind of ethnic tussle in the country.
Role of clergy has not been up to mark since existence of COVID-19 in the country. Every sect has its own interpretation of social life and submission towards Allah Almighty which has badly spoiled “containment policies” of COVID-19 and efforts of all the provincial governments in the country. Clergy of this country should realize the seriousness of national calamity and cooperate with local authorities in maintaining law and order situation which may be effective for controlling of further “collateral damage” in the country.
Unfortunately, concept of “social distancing” has not been observing in its true spirits in the country since its existence. People are still in the streets like “wandering souls” and violating the instructions of the governments. Quran clearly stresses not to put you on the path of destruction and perish. People of Pakistan must realize the value of their lives and lives of their county men which are interdependent and interconnected and must “Stay at Homes”.
Despite ongoing national crisis of COVID-19, political griming is on the peak in the country. Every political party is still in the “state of denial” and trying its best to do through its own political means. There is no “national comprehensive policy” to fight against COVID-19 which has put lives of common people in danger zone.
Moreover, political orientation of national crisis should not be mantra of any political party because COVID-19 does not care any political affiliation, association, religious faith or modern philology. It is high time of “achieving national consensus” beyond political affiliation and association.
There is no scope of political cosmetics and playing with sorrows of masses with “oratory” and “falsified” promises. Opposition should work for reduction of COVID-19 and does not indulge in any kind of “conspiracy theories” anymore during the national crisis. It is feared that having huge “political divide” and national policy of “denial” may further worsen “inflationary trends”, “price hike”, “unemployment” and “poverty ratios” in the country.
Role of private sector and NOGs is “dismal” which needs to be regulated to fight against COVID-19. Special tax and custom incentives may be announced for private sector for their timely contribution towards national relief funds.
Moreover, “Invisible Pillars” of our society i.e. “bankers”, “bakers”, “peasants”, “bus drivers”, “garbage collectors” and last but not least, “local wagers” should also be honored as doctors, nurses and medical staff in the country. They are also “frontline soldiers” in the ongoing fight against COVID-19. They are “custodian” of “financial fabric” of our society without which socio-economic survival may not be maintained and sustained. They are “champions” of national survival in terms of “connectivity”, “cleanliness” and food supplies. Special package may also be announced for all of them.
There is drastic decline in “worker remittance” inflows in the country which needs to be ratified by concrete efforts to maintain it’s easy and smooth inflows in the country. Special “incentives” or “wavier of service charges” may be implemented at once.
Local economy is at the “receiving” end because of various complex and complicated reasons in the country. Rural economy has been “shrinking” because of COVID-19. There is no comprehensive policy for the rural economy. Wheat season has already started in Sindh. It will start very soon in Punjab. Federal government and all the provincial governments do not have any “institutionalize response” to tackle this pandemic during the crop cutting season. Government should arrange “harvester machines” on “subsidized rates” to promote “collective cutting” mechanism in all the provinces. It will further minimize chances of COVID-19 in the rural areas and communities alike.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 has badly exposed our “national capacity boiling” in “health sector” which needs to be enhanced by increasing GDP % allocations towards it. There is an urgent need to closely study “model of Taiwan” which is situated just 80 Kilometer from the motherland China but still one of the least COVID-19 affected countries in the region. In this regard, a comprehensive “overhauling” of our “political” and “administrative” systems is the need of the hour. Establishment of a 20-30 (beds) “community based hospital” must be “mandatory” for every “MNA & MPAs” out of their “development funds” at least during their tenures, may lessen our national miseries in the days to come but needs bold political decisions and unity of the command.
NDMA should be preemptive in its approach. Re-organization of NDMA especially at provincial levels may also enhance spirits of better coordination and cooperation between the center and provinces in the country. Moreover, there is a acute shortage of experts in NDMA which must be ratified as soon as possible.
De-politicalized “community policing” provides “strategic cushion” in the times of national crises which needs to be institutionalized in the country especially during the ongoing human sage in shape of COVID-19. Right legal and administrative measures and policies should be initiated to make community policing a permanent feature in our society.
Uzbekistan “Mahalla System” is a prime example of systematic “community based response” to any natural calamity which needs to be closely studied and implemented in our society for the timely help of all the struggling and needy people living nearby all of us.
Being prominent regional expert of Central Asia and China I may request Chinese government to please launch a “Health Silk Route” parallel to ongoing CPEC and BRI mega projects for the “safety of humanity” and of course “securing of regional connectivity”, “speeding-up of production channels” and “maintaining” its regional as well as global humanitarian assistance exposure. It will have multiplier effects on national economies, regional political cooperation and global consensus in the days to come.
