Zaheer Bhatti
CONSIDERING the faceless onslaught of the Corona pandemic, varied strategies have been adopted by different countries to tackle and face up to the virulent menace ranging from curfew, complete, partial or smart lockdown etc, according to their own capacity, limitations and socio-economic environment. But whatever way, they are unanimous in the strategy adopted within their own countries with the singular exception of perhaps Pakistan, which demonstrated complete disharmony among the federating units and a never-ending repartee between the Centre and Sindh Province.
What amazes one even more is the fact that while basic SOPs like frequent washing of hands, maintaining a 6 ft physical social distance and wearing a mask was being willingly adopted all over the world, Pakistan again took the cake in flouting them because there was neither the leadership nor the charisma of its appeal to attract compliance in view of the absence of a system to serve right down the grass roots in such eventualities. Things have come to such a pass that despite frequent appeals, people have not taken it seriously due to sheer ignorance; so much so that even Imams in mosques have on their own started announcing return to normalcy encouraging people to throw caution to the wind. These very people dare not take liberty with SOPs in foreign lands because their punitive measures are in themselves the greatest deterrent.
More importantly it is the example of those who matter, which the common man tends to subconsciously follow; mainly that of the country’s political leadership and the media which are supposed to be trend setters. But while there is evidence of certain measures taken, both these organs of the State have invariably presented a discordant face with an incoherent follow-up, which not only confused the people but made the exercise look casual. Just as Donald Trump the President of the most resourceful United States of America experienced the greatest backlash and topped the global list both in terms of the Corona-affected and deaths caused by the virus, largely because the obstinate leader refused to wear a mask; seen at last wearing one recently, Pakistan’s leadership did not lag far behind.
The Pakistani Prime Minister initially remained casual with the mask himself and later wore it indifferently; which his comrades such as Sheikh Rashid followed with their own version leaving it hanging on one ear showing their face; as if the people had not already seen enough of them. Shibli Faraz, a relatively informed Minister the other day posed for the camera with a closely huddled group of Pakistan’s Foreign Press Officers with no one including the Minister wearing the mask or maintaining distance, as if the menace of Corona had vanished. A media outlet showed the Railways Minister in a big close-up as he let the mask be just wrapped around his chin offering prayer in a mosque. One is not sure though, if that Channel actually meant to expose the Minister’s own lack of awareness or seriousness, or whether it was an honest oversight.
Similarly you invariably notice TV reporters interviewing the common man in crowded market places without a mask caring a damn about safe distancing, and the reporter seldom asking them why they were not wearing one or refusing to talk to those not following the SOPs. An interviewer talking to someone over skype in isolation without a mask is understandable but a uniform adherence to SOPs by participants in a panel discussion is most desirable in order to send the right message across. It is though common sense that a lone Anchor or a Newscaster does not have to wear a mask, whereas one has seen that happen in some cases taking precaution to its ridiculous extreme.
But the worst was uncalled for alarming bells sounded by no less than the widely enamoured persons from the Treasury Benches such as Asad Umar and Dr Ata-ur-Rehman in announcing that the Corona Spike in Pakistan was likely to hit hundreds of thousands each day in the coming weeks and months, without giving any plausible explanation or referring to any authentic scientific analysis. One could by all means play safe; if that was the intention, to keep saying that if the people did not respect and strictly follow the SOPs, the spike may become startling high with no one able to control it, but to give figures which sent panic waves across the country, was extremely undesirable to say the least.
Chinese success examples in most fields are worth following, but one has not seen reports about following suit in the Corona case which the Chinese not only controlled initially in Wuhan but also lately in the sprawling city of Beijing in re-visit of the virus to that country. One has only seen news of Chinese help with consignments of medical and other provisions besides some expertise to Pakistan but heard nothing about a concerted anti-Pandemic plan as exercised by them back home which could have been emulated. The Chinese would probably ask you to activate some grass-root system to ensure enforcement of the SOPs against the pandemic, in response to which you are most likely to present them your politically motivated creation of ‘Tiger Force’, rather than the time-tested Local Bodies which successive Governments have deliberately put on the back-burner in criminal self-interest.
Watching the current trends minutely though, it appears that as of a few days now, there is a visible decrease both in the number of reported new cases as well as casualties, which hopefully should be due to the policy of smart lock down, but could also be attributed to reduction in tests carried out; reduction in casualties though augers well for the future if the nation comes out unscathed after Eid-ul-Azha, which one doubts with mere warnings to the public, but again no clear SOPs in the cattle markets allowed all over the country, and how they would be implemented. Please do not say ‘the Tiger Force will do it’.
—The writer is a media professional, member of Pioneering team of PTV and a veteran ex Director Programmes.
