NOTHING good can be expected from a person like Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose hands are soaked with blood of hundreds of thousands of minorities’ members particularly Muslims both in occupied Jammu and Kashmir as well as in India. This is the reason that his tweet proposing a videoconference of SAARC leadership to chalk out a strategy to fight Corona Virus surprised many especially those in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s positive response was anticipated, as it has never shied away from the dialogue no matter what the issue is. Foreign Office Spokesperson Ayesha Farooqui said the threat posed by Corona Virus requires coordinated efforts at global and regional level. This initiative of coming together in search of a joint strategy to control the virus is in itself a significant development and people expect that this online conference would open doors for more consultations and that expertise, experiences will be shared by regional countries to work out the way forward to deal with this disease that has already claimed lives of over five thousand people with Europe now declared as its epicentre by the World Health Organisation. South Asia is also on edge after an increase in number of confirmed cases. India has 84 confirmed cases, Pakistan 30, Afghanistan 11, Sri Lanka 10, Maldives and Bangladesh 3 while one each in Nepal and Bhutan has been reported. Two Corona Virus deaths have already been reported from India and it is feared that countries in South Asia could find it difficult to deal with the pandemic because of inadequate health infrastructure and dense population. Moreover, poorly organised cities and towns would make it difficult to impose lockdown, like the one seen in China, Iran, Italy and some other countries, if the situation aggravates.
Thus, it is responsibility of South Asian countries to act before it is too late and the virus further spreads its tentacles. While first videoconference is welcomed, it should be followed with practical steps that bring health officials and experts closer to each other to wage a joint war against this pandemic to ensure safety and protection of their peoples, and set a good example for others to follow. As we also consider China part of South Asia, their experts and health officials should also be taken on board and be made part of consultation process as in recent days the country has proved to be successful in containing the virus. Out of his animosity against Pakistan, the Indian PM over the last four years has held the SAARC dysfunctional. There is still time for Modi to shun his intransigence, stop human rights abuses in Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir and move forward for revival of SAARC for the greater good and well-being of peoples of the region who are already faced with immense problems like poverty, backwardness, hunger and disease.
