In times of a pandemic breakout, citizens look up to their government for direction. But in Pakistan, the Imran Khan government has no plan and no direction to deal with the coronavirus, or COVID-19. In fact, Pakistan’s 70-year-old president Arif Alvi even visited China, at a time when everyone is avoiding the country. He even shook hands, a gesture that is akin to an invitation to death in these times. Why? To display Pakistan’s solidarity with its BFF. He was the first head of state to visit Beijing after the coronavirus outbreak.
While claiming to learn from the Chinese way of handling the crisis, there is no on-ground action in Pakistan that supports the claim.
China locked down several cities, including Wuhan — the epicentre of the outbreak — in Hubei province and banned travel to contain the spread of coronavirus. But in Pakistan, even after a significant surge in the number of positive COVID-19 cases, there is no government order to lock down the affected areas. There are no travel restrictions.
In fact, the Imran Khan government thinks that allowing international flights “only” at Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore airports, which are the bigger cities, is some kind of a foolproof way to stop the virus spread, knowing fully well that the screening process for passengers is faulty and there is no facility to quarantine those affected.
Out of the total 296 coronavirus cases, the southern province of Sindh is the worst hit with 208 positive cases.
Also read: For Pakistani men, Aurat March is the real coronavirus
Source of Pakistan’s worry
This sudden surge is due to the negligence of the Imran Khan government, which didn’t properly test and quarantine thousands of pilgrims arriving from Iran in the border city of Taftan, Balochistan. The pilgrims were packed together in unhygienic tents without medical facilities and access to clean bathrooms. Unsurprisingly, it became a nursery for coronavirus. Sindh officials shared how most of the newer cases were of travellers coming from the so-called quarantined zone in Taftan. This is how lack of seriousness and the absence of any sound policy bears fruit.
Or it has stopped the virus reaching to millions?
Quarantine at taftaan restricted and limited people and made all of us know each areas people there
If set loose when no provinces had any idea and facilitation for quaranteene..imagine what could have happened!@KhurramHusain https://t.co/r0KFUsTINH
— Jam Kamal Khan (@jam_kamal) March 17, 2020
But for Prime Minister Imran Khan, nothing was amiss. In his address to the nation on the issue of coronavirus, he paid rich tributes to the Balochistan government and the Pakistan Army for their work at Taftan. If the plan is to win the fight against coronavirus with delusion, then, like the 1971 war, we might have won the COVID-19 war already.
World leaders are telling people that COVID-19 pandemic is a serious problem and they must remain extra cautious — that there is a cause for worry. Even at home, Sindh chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has been sharing numbers and telling people that they need to worry — remain indoors as much as possible.
But PM Imran Khan can say with extreme casualness: “Aap ne ghabrana nahi hai (don’t panic)”. Only 3 per cent of people tested positive, who are old and already have multiple health issues, are mostly at risk — the remaining 97 per cent people recover, the PM argued. So, citizens above 65 or those younger — but with various health conditions — don’t have a reason to worry, right?
Also read: For 20 yrs, Imran Khan had a dream. When he became PM, we got goats, cows & broken economy
Not learning from others
One fails to understand why the government hasn’t sought proactive help of the military yet, when the National Institute of Health is headed by a Major General. Countries like India, Canada and United States have all used their military bases for quarantine facilities; both the UK and the US are relying on their armies to set up field hospitals. But the Pakistan government has no clear policy for its army either. Downplaying the severity of coronavirus seems to be the only strategy here.
Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran have banned group prayers in mosques. But in Pakistan, the Friday Jumma prayers will likely continue. Despite the warning that Pakistan could be following in Italy’s footsteps if public gatherings aren’t avoided, there is no push from the government to ban these large congregations. Instead, Punjab CM Sardar Usman Buzdar is meeting Ulemas and assuring them that mosques won’t be closed. Shia clerics have vowed to continue their religious gatherings and shrine visits, because according to them, congregations heal people, not infect them.
Barelvi cleric Muhammad Ashraf Asif Jalali is confident of holding an All Pakistan Sunni conference in Lahore on March 21: “No one can get sick except as per the will of God. If anyone gets infected with coronavirus due to our conference, then (the Pakistan government) should hang me.” That’s coronavirus 101 for us all.
#Barelvi cleric Asif Ashraf Jalali @TheDrJalali: We shall hold All Pakistan Sunni conference in Lahore on March 21. No one can get sick except as per the will of God. If anyone gets infected with #coronavirus due to our conference, Pakistan govt should hang me. pic.twitter.com/lu4WKjj0ES
— SAMRI (@SAMRIReports) March 15, 2020
Defence Minister Pervez Khattak confidently declared that coronavirus is under control in Pakistan, because the government had banned all public gatherings and political rallies. He said this while addressing one such ‘banned’ public rally in Nowshera. Now we know how ‘under control’ coronavirus is in Pakistan.
Also read: Saudi Arabia halts pilgrimage to Mecca, Medina amid coronavirus fears
Loudmouths and desi remedies
There is one PTI minister, Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, who is telling us that coronavirus is god’s punishment just like disabled children are the punishment for the misdeed of their parents.
Punjab provincial information minister fayyaz chohan says Fayyaz says children with disabilities are a punishment from God for the parents, links disability and disability of children with wrongdoing and corruption by parents. Unbelievable. pic.twitter.com/k3zbwWcJfn
— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) March 17, 2020
The same minister has also promised to beat coronavirus like we beat terrorism in Pakistan. Now how many decades that would take, he didn’t mention.
The World Health Organization (WHO) advisory is to test, test and test. PM Imran Khan’s advisory is: don’t run to the hospital for tests, just sit at home and wash your hands. Yes, prevention is important, and the biggest weapon against coronavirus we have, but it can’t substitute testing. Two months late for the awareness campaign too, as many think.
World leaders are looking at ways to treat, cure or take precaution against coronavirus but it is only Imran Khan who wants Pakistan’s debt written off. All in the garb of coronavirus. He is telling the world that Pakistan won’t have money if the situation goes out of hand and yet he is funding ventures at home for his own self-promotion. How does that work in a health emergency? It wants to beg the world but when asked to be part of SAARC on COVID-19, it goes in the ‘Kashmir Banega Pakistan’ mode. That too on the shoulders of health advisor Zafar Mirza, whose is accused of smuggling 20 million face masks.
When it comes to desi remedies for curing coronavirus, Balochistan CM Jam Kamal Khan has been kind to share forwarded-as-received corona cure: Gargle with salt and vinegar. His photoshopped image of leading a meeting on coronavirus is reason enough to take his high stature seriously.
— Jam Kamal Khan (@jam_kamal) March 14, 2020
And on social distancing, Fawad Chaudhry has the last word: “Humen are not programmed for Quarantine and our dependence on eachother is a precondition of Society and life,Isolation is only a very short term measure, salvation of human race depends on Science and Scientists how quickly they can respond to challenge #CoronavirusOutbreak.”
We wonder what we would do if Chaudhry hadn’t given us this earth-shattering information.
The author is a freelance journalist from Pakistan. Her Twitter handle is @nailainayat. Views are personal.
Gald I came across this article. It seams Pakistanis are in a state of denial. I feel for the author. Some are comparing the cases in Pakistan with that of Italy or US,please understand that subcontinent was hit just last week, Italy-US have been hit much earlier. Some gentleman rediculed the idea of cow urine, belive me some believe eating turmeric will keep Carona at bay. But aren’t those ideas as dumb as keeping Carona away by praying 5 times a day as suggested in one these comments? Entire India is under lockdown and we are all working from home. Someone said India is doing nothing, well sir our cases are 0.1/million while yours presently stand at 2/million. You guys are in deep trouble, the love for your PM is just not allowing to accept this new reality.
Do you realise that it’s impossible for Pakistan to have more cases than India? Almost all of Pakistan’s positive cases were imported from outside and India was very much doing that as well and the reason for our high cases are that we are simple testing more people because we have a better ratio of testing kits that were given to us by China.. While India is testing very limited people because of their huge population and little tests kits, instead of worrying about Pakistan go read news about India’s problems . I can’t believe during this time when the whole South Asia is vulnerable, you are worried about our country and just so you know, our schools, universities are very much closed, thanks.
I realised long ago that you guys are dumb. Increase in numbers due to better kit provided by China? What kind of horse crap argument is that? Like anyone else out there Indians are scared as well, there’s screening and quarantine measures for all inbound passengers. out od 300 odd cases India has recorded many are Italians, Indonesians, British etc. If Pakistan has more numbers due to better quality of testing kits then there should have been incremental increase in numbers, not overnight explosion. 750 and increasing rapidly, at this rate Pakistan might also give cow urine a shot in few months. Don’t listen to your PM’s high temperature theory, stay in home, be safe.
Imran is shooting in dark. He will learn how big mistake he has made.
Such a stupid and negetive artical….
Everyone is trying their best. If imran khan didnt said anything that doesn’t mean he is not doing anything. He is that father who never let his kids know that what difficulties he is facing.
Secondly stop nagetive acticals
#spread_positivity
TURKEY IS NOT A ISLAMIC STATE. LET ME TELL THİS AGAİN, TURKEY İS NOT A İSLAMİC STATE.
But most of us are muslims…
This is an Indian news site with an Indian writer. What is everyone expecting? Honest coverage? Truth? Informed? You are dealing with indians – none of that will come when they report or write an article.
Welcome to Indian propaganda. Open any indian news site to know what I mean.
First sensible and honest comment in the section.. very true
A bitter Truth….
Those who are saying that govt. is working hard to control COVID-19, Then why positive cases are increasing DBD? Why People were first set free from taftan border to wander freely? Now agencies are trying to RECATCH them. No one is giving a shit about Infected Free persons. Govt. is giving credit to Army and Balochistan Govt.!? What kind of credit? To set free all the Taftan Refugees? To not locking down the cities? I wonder Pakistan will be most infected country after China and Italy. Govt. is acting like a child. “Virus ny Phelna hi h”, If virus is to spread then you all should go to hell. Whenever PM says, ” Dont panic”. People start to panic.
This virus outbreak is turned into a global pandemic “crisis” by the United States and her minions to put pressure on China, to slow down their economic growth and to impede the economic corridor initiative. The fact is that this desease has a lower mortality rate than the common flu. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.livescience.com/amp/new-coronavirus-compare-with-flu.html
common flu has 0.1 % mortality rate while corona has 3.4% ..its 34 times greater . google it
That is not the right way of looking at numbers. Common flu has been known for thousands of years, even still it kills 20,000 every year in the US alone. Corona is new and when it was discovered, there was no established treatment. Yet, even in a worst case scenario, where the patients are senior citizens, the mortality rate is ~3.0%. To anyone with even the basic understanding of statistics and an iota of common sense, it is obvious that Corona is not quite as big a deal as it is being made out to be.
Wow bruh you’re so smart. Can you again fact check the spread rate of corona with common flu? Can you also check from which country did the virus originate? Oh meanwhile also check the effect of corona on us economy lol. Its a legit pandemic. Do you even know when was the last time that WHO declared pandemic? and for what reason?
Looking at how minions of Imran Khan have been unleashed on Naila Inayat is a proof that truth hurts more and more. This is digital media team IK invested millions in to promote his image. More power to this journo!
I think the author fails to grasp what is happening internationally.
Countries like the UK have only just closed schools wheras Sindh implemented this weeks ago.
There is a massive information awareness campaign in force throughout Pakistan instructing citizens about hygiene with temperature checks are being carried out.
Pakistan implemented social distancing as soon as the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended.
It’s time for Pakistani media to stop peddling fake news and report on the facts
A poiticaly biased article in the time of chaos number scoring mentality
Like they beat terrorism? By growing terrorists in country and using against India?
Definitely.
This article is based on personal hatred towards Pakistan and it’s people, rather than well-established facts and figures. A good journalist should never be biased to or against any subject mentioned in the publication. All this goes on to reveal the low level of journalism taking roots in the Indian media, spreading hate and misinformation for personal promotions and fame.
Such a stupid article. Total waste of time. I wonder who even hired such an incompetent author who does not even know what to write in these troubled times.
Best wishes for all, but the problem appears to be more worry some of infidel & affluent societies than the regular believing societies particularly Pakistan.
Best wishes for all, but the problem appears to be more worry some of infidel & affluent societies than the regular believing societies particularly Pakistan.
Best wishes for all, but the problem appears to be more worry some for infidel & affluent societies than the believing societies particularly Pakistan.
Nikal lore…pheli fursat me nikal lore ????
Reading the above comments it seems there is not much left I should mention how pessimistic the article is. At a time of such crisis one should come up with positive suggestions instead of wasting time on baseless criticism. In true sense we have absolutely no health infrastructure, finances or basic knowledge and discipline. I think the government has done better than I expected. They were a couple of days late to close the Iranian border but even that was remarkable for us. EU is still undecided. UK is late to close the schools and is trying to take a path of it’s own as usual. Talking of quarantine, even China had no ideal answer for the scale of catastrophe. We are lucky if we are not panicking. Why should a head of state advise panic to a nation that has been wounded all these 40 years. Look at the stock markets all over the world. Panic has bankrupted millions all over the globe.
Be careful, vigilant, informed, calm and if you can afford stay home for a while.
Share what you have. Like you did in 2005 and 2010 during earthquake and floods. Act and motivate others to act. This menace may last longer and may recycle.
Best wishes
Oh I see.. So could you please confirm if Imran Khan is PM of UK also? In UK even schools are open, offices are open… So please make Boris Johnson your target. Pakistani govt has already taken sufficient steps to spread awareness in Pakistan. I see even BHANGI knows about the virus and its precautions.
NAILA INAYAT I’ll give you advice
…..Quit your job as you clearly don’t know how to be a reporter
NAILA INAYAT
Yes there’re criticism on govts for the edifience by the media but I don’t know why the PMI is trying to create a gap between the govt and common masses of Pakistan ????
The entire article is absurd…
Very biased and unauthentic news as per the eyewitness and ground realities.
The entire article is absurd…
Well said!
Well done!
Those who are criticizing the author for being biased don’t want to be acknowledged. Let them be in their Phase of Denials.
One thing the writer missed is how Punjab government is hiding COVID-19 positive cases in Punjab.
According to Sindh and KPK government, more than half of the people who came from taftan quarantine ( or more appropriately taftan COVID-19 nursery) tested positive.
Around 800 ppl came to Punjab also, but so far Punjab government didn’t disclose their test results or lied about them.
Punjab government’s attitude is “if we don’t let tge public know actual cases, we won’t have to worry about their isolation and stuff, if they die we’ll say they die of some other reason ( just happened few days back in mayo hospital lahore).
i am not a supporter of Imran Khan. I geel his address to the nation was very impressive. The government of Sindh has done a good job. we should appreciate this.
Handling of Cronona virus by yhe Pakistan government has been reasonable. we beleive in Allah. we also believe that he will save us from this disease
Dear Ms Inayst
Not sure if you have ever run a business let alone country of 220 million people. It is easy to criticise sitting in the comfort of your Home. It is a world wide phenomena and economic supper powers are struglling. Considering Pakistan’s economic situation. it is doing it’s best. By the way what are you doing to support the vulnerable people of Pakistan?
People will not die of Corona but of these zameer frosh reporters who are creating unressecary panic.being a Muslim death is inevitable, Corona or not. Do abolition and pray five times a day you will not get Corona. Any one would believe what I am writing if he is Muslim.
Lol….what sorta weed do you smoke? I too want ..
The government is doing what it has to and it’s useless people like this author that could do no better than spreading hate and dividing the nation – the need of the hour is to stand together in spirit and do our best to save humanity. If someone really is empathetic and cares for the nation, should spend time wisely in doing their part to help at a chaotic time and not the opposite.
Dear author, you have lost it totally! Your article doesnt make the PM or the government bad – makes you the loser simply.
Better luck next time
awareness alone will not works, action dear Rizwan action, don’t support thoses these empty mantra of Mr Khan and his course mate.
Being a citizen of Pakistan, i must say that this article is not based on truth, the writer has no idea of the actions that government and army has taken to stop the virus from spreading.
My question to the writer is that if all the mentioned allegations are true then why there is less causality rate in Pakistan as compared to US, Italy and other “well-developed countries”?
What an unprofessional and childish writer with zero sense of responsibility
Bad tone
Wrong information
Clear bias
None are the vitues of a decent journalist or writer
Is no one checking quality here?
Your article is not based on reality. Federal and provincial governments are taking precautionary measures and running awareness campaigns.
Where is dislike button
In PM Modi’s pocket dear Didi?
In PM Modi’s pocket dear Didi?
Modi sarkar dislike button khud hai?
The article is not only biased but it seems to be a part of propaganda campaign, government is trying its best. All schools, colleges and universities have been shut and plans are underway to close public and private sector offices.
Extremely biased article and poorly written.
Writer must be from opposition
Writer must be from BJP gang.
The Print is one of most Anti-BJP news platform you will ever find in India
umm very dumb of u why don’t you come up and tell us what to do in this situation
Govt. is taking no action. The only thing they are looking for is the aid in dollors. Coronavirus test is not free it costs 6000 to 12000 PKR. Suspected visitors from Iran are thrown like animals in Quarantine.
No measures are taken in Punjab. After a detailed presentation on Corona, the CM of Punjab asked “How Corona bites?”
Totally baseless and wrong information. Media reports in Pak are totally fake.
This article is biased. Bugzay imran me likha hua article ksi patwari ny hi likha hoga
Yes I fully agree with wardah . it seems tthat this article is written by someone who seems to have deep hatred for Imran khan our beloved pm. The writer should see the ground realities which I believe is ignored.
Pakistan , Pakistanis and imran Khan knows better than your shit blog that how to deal with this virus.. inshAllah we have believe in Allah and his Messenger that every good and bad times come from our Allah and we should have faith that we will fight it. With the help of Allah and his ways that he told us through our Muhammad SAW.
This blog is written without faithful heart and with pessimistic mind.
Criticism is supposed to impact and promote positivity but writer wrote every insecurity he/SHe can feel in her room, beneath the bed, under the pillow.
Pakistan is poor, economy is fragile, for last 20 years not just because of Imran khan.
Close the cities? Really? Poor people will DIE. They work all day so they can earn to eat at night.
Masjid Gatherings? Really? My father went to pry Fajar today. My mom asked him that there will be lot less people due to Coronavirus in the country.
He replied: “There were alot more than normal days”.
Thats faith.
“maut ka ek din muayyan hai
nind kyun raat bhar nahin aati ” ?
Writer clearly has some personal vendetta.
Poorly written. Writer clearly has some personal vendetta.
Much of what is written seems to be quite childish in style and tone. Positive criticism should be free of the personal hate for the governmwnt the writer clearly projects. Tere article mein hai kiya?
Verily a Biased article, no actual realities, quoting hakf statements of PMIK.
Well spreading fake news is also Haraam, punk.
I don’t understand in time of crisis everyone including print and electronic media is creating confusion; far far away from ground realities. Every one is playing politics and point scoring against Govt. For Allah’s sake joined hands with Govt for eliminating this pandemic, Govt is putting all its efforts to stop spreading corona virus. Its not only IK Govt to do each and every thing v being human should also take preventive and pre cautionary measures. At least v can restrict our selves to home for some time.
One aspect of the article. It’s not full of facts. Govt is doing whatever they can do
This article is total rubbish, unnecessary stories mentioned. Everything negative said about govt and showed Pakistan is already in ruins. Neither belief nor trust is shown in Allah (Allahu alam. Alaa qulli shain qadeer) All knowing and power to do everything.
Very poorly written