Iqbal Hadi Zaidi
OUR uninvited guest Miss Corona or Mrs Corona or Mr Corona, whichever one likes the best, born in Wuhan, China in December, 2019 very well succeeded there by not just inflicting thousands of Chinese with the deadliest virus but also took away life of so many as well who definitely did not want to die but had to die and Corona born with the wicked intentions of expansion quite naturally embarked upon globe-trotting and succeeded in victimizing in 215 countries and territories including my beloved Pakistan as well and therefore nothing but 108,317 Pakistanis have been found positive while unfortunate 2,172 lost their lives as well till Tuesday 9th June by 0931 hours my time and 1131 PST when I am writing the article. My goodness! Numerically speaking it is awfully very much shocking and extremely choking to notice that as to how much we succeeded that on 10th April our figures were 4,474 trapped by the virus with just 65 deaths and exactly one month later i.e. on 10th May our figures stood at 28,795 positive with 636 deaths and see it yourself our figures as this point of time which I cannot pen again as I am turning pale, feeling short of breath and somewhat heart sinking. Above figures are quite alarming and mind boggling particularly when during the past few months most of the country was locked down which cannot be continued alike for months in future, therefore, naturally it was expected of us that if we go all out with our total sources and resources then we definitely control the situation but very much regretfully, we did fail in our efforts to mitigate the onslaught of Corona otherwise we have not noticed such phenomenal increase in victimization.
Admittedly we were not that much prepared and equipped on 1st March and therefore for argument sake we can swallow the bitter pill to have been attacked alike but why and how so much increase is being noticed as of today must puzzle my authorities and they must dig out the truth as to where we failed how and why? During, May alone time and again my nation has listened to what PM Imran have said about Corona and the logistics being applied to combat the onslaught of the virus. We were also told that not only Advisor on Health but even the multiple Commissions and Committees dealing exclusively with Corona had many meetings and discussions almost on a daily basis at levels be it national, provincial or local. I wish I am wrong which I am not that during the current month percentage wise more victims are to be noticed than before because now we, to some extent have eased up on lock down restrictions than what had been in May. Needless to mention that during lock down we simply failed to strictly enforce lock down in its true letter and spirit and very unfortunately not the whole population but just a few people had adhered to the precautionary measures to be practiced and here I will blame authorities more than the people. When it was noticed that someone is not using facial mask then he/should have been arrested forthwith but I very seriously doubt that hardly someone thought to enforce it with full might. I know that the government had imposed monetary fine to be paid by the defaulters but truthfully speaking fine is not the answer but arrest is the only answer.
I am really very sorry to pen that in Pakistan social distancing which is globally reckoned principle to avoid spreading the notorious Coronavirus is only on paper and hardly very few people who can be counted on our finger tips have stuck to the principle and maintained six feet distance between the two persons. Here also people must be arrested for not keeping the distance but when none is arrested then you know what can be the result. PM Imran chairs cabinet meetings where our all ministers sit too close to each other without caring the least of social distancing as if our power corridor is exempted social distancing from. Didn’t we see our two three ministers sitting next to each other addressing a press conference and the press conference is aired on television and photos flashed in newspapers so when our top officials who are supposed to be models for the whole population of the country themselves behave like this how and why we can even think and expect that our commoners stick to the rule? It is very high and ripe time for the nation as a whole, not just the commoners but our top officials too, to be damn serious in their thinking, approach and actions to combat and nullify the effects of the notorious Coronavirus, otherwise we are very happily tilting towards the point of no return which must be condemned and not appreciated unless one way or the other we have turned our own enemy.
—The writer is a former diplomat, based in Kuwait and occasionally contributes on National Press.
