On
17 November 2019 when the first patient infected with Corona virus died
in Wuhan Province of China, no one has ever imagined that the virus
causing death would spread all over the world within the few
weeks. Till 17 December 2019 more than 60 persons were infected with
Corona virus in Wuhan. Chinese newspaper China Morning Post wrote
that Chinese doctors informed the Chinese Health Ministry about the
critical situation of the virus infections, however, it was much
late. Not only the number of deaths was increasing, but the number of
infected persons was also increasing rapidly. The world was preparing to
celebrate New Year Night. China was also preparing for these
celebrations. Chinese govt. discussed the situation with the World
Health Organization (WHO) however, New Year Celebrations were not
postponed. With the start of 2020, WHO informed the World about the
serious and critical situation of the Corona Virus Pandemic. The irony of fate is that not a single country took the warning of WHO
seriously. Chinese govt. locked down the public in the Wuhan limiting
them to their homes. Keeping in view the increasing number of
infected persons, Chinese govt. constructed latest hospitals within
few days astonishing the whole world proving that China as a nation.
A nation where political chaos and wars, violating laws, dividing
nation, black marketing and hoarding of medicines and eatables is not
tolerated. The steps taken by Chinese were seen by the whole world.
When Corona was spreading not a single developed country showed any
seriousness. Due to this, WHO had to warn that if all the countries
did not take it seriously than many lives will be lost.
With
the start of the new year whole world has secluded itself from China
practically including trade. Relatives of thousands of Pakistani
students studying in China and Pakistani media pressurized Pakistani
govt. to bring them back. In order to ensure the integrity and
restore the trust of the world on Chinese steps to counter Corona,
Chinese govt. needed that Pakistan expresses trust over the steps
taken by China to cure the infected persons. Pakistan faced internal pressure and criticism but did not call back its students.
However, steps were taken to screen the passengers over the airports.
In the meanwhile, corona took over Italy while in China the
numbers of new infected and deaths decreased. In Pakistan, everyone
was satisfied that the virus has not been transferred from China to
Pakistan. Although, the threat was not over yet. Corona virus reached
Italy and other countries in Europe and the USA.
Pandemic
spread in Iran. Threats rose than thousands of Pakistani pilgrims
may get infected with the virus as well, which afterward not only
proved to be true but also provided a chance to the opposition to
criticize govt. A storm arose over social media. Our Private media
channels also fueled the situation, in spite of warning the public
about the results of violations of the lock-down, govt. became the target
of media talk shows. In spite of calling the doctors and health
experts to discuss the situation, politicians and political analysts
were called to discuss the pandemic of the corona. Due to such behavior
of the Pakistani private media, in such a critical situation expression of division and disputes arose among the nation. The
situation of Italy, France, Germany, Britain, and the USA was no more
hidden where due to the sluggishness of govt. and the public to take steps
against the pandemic resulted in the wide-spreading. In such a
situation the opposition of these parties avoided the point-scoring
and this was the point that was needed for cooperation between govt
and opposition parties.
In
Pakistan, Public violated imposition of Section 144 and continued its
routine life. At such a critical time this was the duty of the govt
and opposition that keeping in view the collective behavior and
literacy standards to minimize the movement of the public through
Police and Law Enforcing Agencies. It was the need of the hour to
ignore the political disputes and get united against the Corona
Pandemic. Experts of Politics busy in criticizing govt. in the talk
shows should have kept in mind the psychology of the public even in
developed countries. That is due to the public psychology that
despite the availability of all the latest healthcare and law
enforcement facilities they seem powerless in front of the collective
behavior of people against the Corona pandemic. In spite of showing a
better discipline public was seen fighting with each other for
dumping eatables and other necessities.
In
Pakistan neither we have the healthcare facilities like Europe and the USA nor the lifestyle like them. Our healthcare is capable to provide
medical facilities to a maximum of 10000 at once out of 220 million population. In such a situation Sindh govt. is trying to portray
its expenditure more effectively to prove Federal and other Provincial
governments as a failure. In such a situation the raising of concerns
over the steps taken by the other Provincial as wells as Federal
govt. by the public is natural. Corona is neither considering whether
someone is rich or poor, belonging to a specific sect, religion,
lingual group or area. VIPs in Canada, Brazil, and the USA got infected
with Corona but no one blamed one another for this. In Pakistan we
also need that in spite of blaming each other, the public should break
apart the social contacts in order to break the chain. If public is
not ready to do that voluntarily than there is no other option
except to use the security forces…
Written
by Khalid Baig,
Published
in Daily Nawa-i-Waqt,
Date:
26 March 2020.
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