Zaheer-ud-Din Babar
Currently, our community’s doctors have issued a country wide appeal for more equipment to be allocated to them in the fight against coronavirus. These days, they are our real heroes who put their lives at stake in order to protect the common people. Lack of protective instruments have resulted in dozens of doctors losing their lives because of being infected whilst treating coronavirus patients. In different cities,doctors conducted numerous press conferences and begged the nation’s leadership to take serious measures against the COVID-19 pandemic. The horrible reality of this issue is that many doctors openly complainedthat they stilldo not have safety kits.The question is that if our frontline soldiers are not taken care of, then how can we expect to overcome this pandemic. Another objection is that, in the policy making sector, doctors’ suggestions are not being taken seriously.
A major concern of the government concerning strict lockdown is that there is a chance of people losing their livelihoods and consequently dying of hunger. Furthermore, there is an ongoing debate over whether or not to extend the lockdown. Extending the lockdown would result in worsening the economic situation whilst lifting the lockdown too soon would result in an explosion of new coronavirus cases. The Prime minister’s point of view that a”smart” lockdown is a better option.
An important aspect is that the America and the other Western countries affected with COVID 19 are looking to shift business activities to a different sector.In this context, it is important to educate people about the coronavirus and make people understand the impact of the disease. People need to understand that Coronavirus is a reality, not a conspiracy theory and that they must take it seriously.A sad reality is that the majority of the population is not educated, consequently, lockdowns must be enforced by the state themselves. The common Pakistani does not understand that the handshakes and hugs must be avoided in order to slow the rate of the infection.
Unfortunately, our religious clerics have also created numerous problems for the governments and the common people. The basic question is that, if the other Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE have banned congregational prayers, then why has Pakistan still allowed it. We all know that, due to the coronavirus, the Holy sites in Arabia such as the Holy Mosque in Mecca and the Holy Prophet(PBUH)’s shrine have been closed, so how can normal mosques stay open. There is no doubt that, during these times, the government must show and flex their muscles and prove that the right of state is greater than the rights of any group of society.
In this context, it is solely the responsibility of the government that they never surrender to any business and or religious group. The country’s constitution gives right to the government that they protect all of theircitizens’ property and lives.Here it is important to mention that, in all the Muslim countries,all mosques and other religiousauthorities are under the supervision of the state. The question is, why is that not the case in our beloved country of Pakistan.
Actually, the reason for doctors’ concern is that they are still not satisfied with the arrangements taken by the government.It is unfortunate that, till date, the majority of Pakistanis have never understood the current challenge (although in major cities where people are more in touch with media, they are conscious but in the country side, the situation is still not predictable). The time has come for the governmentsto come forward and take serious measures which end all prevailing uncertainty.
