In Pakistan, the leadership has been very confused about how to deal with the looming threat of the coronavirus pandemic. From the very start, blunders were done by governments which is why they completely failed to curb the spread of the virus. For instance, people across the borders were freely coming to Pakistan unrestricted. As a result, it was inevitable for the country to face the consequences.
The situation is further complicated by the deeply conservative society, which has never been given the opportunity to understand the situation. Conspiracy theories are in vogue among the masses, though it is not restricted to a particular class and its influence can also be seen among the higher echelons of power. In such a scenario, wise decisions are hard to be made and unlikely to be implemented.
Pakistan is unable to free itself of the quagmire. The cases are growing exponentially, while the capacity of the public health sector is unable to afford more patients. The future of the country is very frightening to be imagined.
In such an unprecedented crisis, the decisions are very tough to make. Full lockdown is seen to be devastating to poor families, while the disease cannot be controlled without taking strict measures to halt the movement of people and keep people restricted to their homes. Both of the options carry great perils to the country and its citizens.
Successful governments have taken the latter strategy, but they have been taking care of those at risk. The virus is vanishing away due to strict lockdowns in those countries. New Zealand is one of the countries in point.
While there are existing economic challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic has further shrunk down the economy. Additionally, the uneven distribution of resources is another challenge for the country to help out the poor families at risk. As a result, the strategy of successive governments is unlikely to be followed.
In such a situation, the country is left with considering herd-immunity. In Darwinian terms, it would be survival of the fittest. The older people are most vulnerable to the virus, herd-immunity can claim millions of deaths. Therefore, it is not an option at all.
If the government is covertly going for a herd-immunity, but it would question the existence of the state as an agency to further welfare and protection of its citizens.
But what has to be done in the face of the crisis is the most difficult question to be answered now. Indeed, there are many explanations for the right course of action, but it would require deep structural changes in order to change the relations of power and distribution of resources, among other things.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has done the most important thing and that is exposing the existing structures that are exploitative in nature and in favor of a tiny elite. The existing state of affairs has completely failed to devise a meaningful strategy. Therefore, the poor masses of the country are doomed to catastrophe.
But that is not to argue that established discourses cannot be changed. Of course, it can be done through ‘misperformances’ from the authorized vocabulary in order to make a social change possible.
The failure of the government in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic has given people the opportunity to understand the structural problems of the system. Without a reasonable doubt, the current situation has been very challenging and hard to endure, but it also carries the potential to unite people for an egalitarian and better future.
Contact Name: *
Muhammad Idris Khan
The situation is further complicated by the deeply conservative society, which has never been given the opportunity to understand the situation. Conspiracy theories are in vogue among the masses, though it is not restricted to a particular class and its influence can also be seen among the higher echelons of power. In such a scenario, wise decisions are hard to be made and unlikely to be implemented.
Pakistan is unable to free itself of the quagmire. The cases are growing exponentially, while the capacity of the public health sector is unable to afford more patients. The future of the country is very frightening to be imagined.
In such an unprecedented crisis, the decisions are very tough to make. Full lockdown is seen to be devastating to poor families, while the disease cannot be controlled without taking strict measures to halt the movement of people and keep people restricted to their homes. Both of the options carry great perils to the country and its citizens.
Successful governments have taken the latter strategy, but they have been taking care of those at risk. The virus is vanishing away due to strict lockdowns in those countries. New Zealand is one of the countries in point.
While there are existing economic challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic has further shrunk down the economy. Additionally, the uneven distribution of resources is another challenge for the country to help out the poor families at risk. As a result, the strategy of successive governments is unlikely to be followed.
In such a situation, the country is left with considering herd-immunity. In Darwinian terms, it would be survival of the fittest. The older people are most vulnerable to the virus, herd-immunity can claim millions of deaths. Therefore, it is not an option at all.
If the government is covertly going for a herd-immunity, but it would question the existence of the state as an agency to further welfare and protection of its citizens.
But what has to be done in the face of the crisis is the most difficult question to be answered now. Indeed, there are many explanations for the right course of action, but it would require deep structural changes in order to change the relations of power and distribution of resources, among other things.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has done the most important thing and that is exposing the existing structures that are exploitative in nature and in favor of a tiny elite. The existing state of affairs has completely failed to devise a meaningful strategy. Therefore, the poor masses of the country are doomed to catastrophe.
But that is not to argue that established discourses cannot be changed. Of course, it can be done through ‘misperformances’ from the authorized vocabulary in order to make a social change possible.
The failure of the government in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic has given people the opportunity to understand the structural problems of the system. Without a reasonable doubt, the current situation has been very challenging and hard to endure, but it also carries the potential to unite people for an egalitarian and better future.
Contact Name: *
Muhammad Idris Khan