Dawn Opinion 20 March 2020

Education: looking forward, Faisal Bari March 20, 2020

The writer is a senior research fellow at the Institute of Development and Economic
Alternatives, and an associate professor of economics at Lums.
ALL educational institutions, across the country, are currently closed.
This is as it should be. The same is true of most schools in most
countries across the world. The government has, for now, said that
schools will remain closed till April 5. This date is likely to be extended.
We cannot open schools as long as we do not have control over the
spread of the coronavirus. We cannot take the risk of infecting a large
number of people. Even if children do not get very sick if they get the
virus, they become carriers. This is a risk we should not take.

If schools remain closed till end May or June and then we enter the summer
vacation and cannot have schools opening till mid-July or somewhere around that
time, what will this mean for education? Clearly, it is a major disruption that will
create some ripples. But if the delay is only of a few months, the ripples can easily be
contained and dealt with by the end of the current calendar year.

We were almost at the end of the last academic year when schools were closed. So,
from the point of view of curriculum coverage, most schools were probably in
revision mode by now. Examinations were to be held in March. These had to be
postponed. But this should not be a major issue. For grades 1-8, we only have
school-based and/or internal examinations. We will not lose a whole lot if we moved
all children to the next grade without examinations in these grades this year.

When the children come back, they should start in the next grade. For grades 1-8,
having a pass on your transcript, for one year, is not going to impact the educational
trajectories of these children in any way. This was done in Pakistan in 1976-77 as
well. To the best of my knowledge, there were no adverse effects on educational
standards that were recorded.

The HEC and most universities are already looking at online

teaching as an alternative.
Where external and/or board examinations are concerned, we cannot do without
these examinations. These are usually school-leaving exams and next stage
admissions depend on performance on these examinations. These will need to be
held, even if they get delayed a lot. If the examinations are held in July/August,
instead of March/April, there will be a four-month delay. If we can rush results a
little, we could probably start the new academic session for school-finishing students
by December/January. So, we lose one semester. But, most universities could cover
that semester quite easily in the next summer.
Most universities were in the middle of their spring semester. But here too, even if
we cannot come back by May or June, the disruption can be reasonably contained
without major changes in learning outcomes. The Higher Education Commission
and most universities are already looking at online teaching as an alternative. These
systems will probably be put in place in the next couple of weeks. Even if they are
not and the spring semester has to be extended to the summer, it is not a huge cost.
This and the next summer can be used to absorb some of the disruption cost.

If the educational disruption, and it should be clear that I am only talking about the
delivery of education here, is only for a few months hopefully; students, parents,
teachers and administrators need not panic. A lot of work will need to be done, but
the cost of the disruption can be managed relatively well and reasonably.

However, we should be prepared for another scenario as well. The coronavirus

might not go away in a few months. Even after the first wave has been lived through,
and we are currently at the beginning of the first wave, the virus will be around and
will possibly continue to impact people till the latter develop immunity, the virus
fades away, or a vaccine is found. This might mean that issues of distancing,
minimal contact and other precautions might have to be in place for a year or so. If
this is the case, and we pray it is not, the adjustment in education will have to be
much larger and much more permanent.

If students cannot return to schools and universities till the end of the year, or can
only come back with restrictions about numbers of people in a room and/or
dormitory, we will be in unchartered territory. Pakistan has 200,000-plus schools,
we have a very large five-to-16-year-old population; it will not be easy to figure out
online solutions for such large numbers. Elite private-sector institutions might be
able to shift to online services or hybrid models, but for most Pakistanis, who do not
have internet access or will not have the resources to have internet access, the shift
is not possible, even if we designed an effective education delivery system. A solution
here would require much deeper thinking.

Solutions developed in higher-income countries might not be of immense help for us

here. Our school system is much larger, with a lot more students, our resources are
more restricted, household poverty levels much higher, parental education lower
and internet availability far more sketchy. So, we might have to find our own
solutions in this case.

Though the university sector is much smaller in Pakistan, with only 200-odd
universities, it will not be easy for them either to create new systems that have to
either fully deliver education through online systems, or create a hybrid model for
education delivery that limits in-class interactions significantly. But if coronavirus-
related restrictions persist across the world, we might be able to benefit from
solutions that might get created in other parts of the globe.

If virus-related issues last only a few months, education-sector disruptions will not
be too damaging and can be reasonably managed. This should not worry
policymakers, parents or students too much. We have bigger issues related to the
virus to worry about. If issues persist even after the first wave, till the end of the year
or beyond, we will be in unchartered territory and will require much deeper thinking
for schools as well as universities to be able to manage education delivery issues.

Govt urged to impose health levy to generate funds

ISLAMABAD: While the country is facing a severe shortage of funds to
combat the coronavirus (COVID-19), anti-tobacco advocates suggested
to the government to impose a health levy on tobacco products and
sugary drinks that could generate Rs50 billion.

In a statement, Human Development Foundation Chief Executive Officer Azhar

Saleem said a higher tax on tobacco products and sugary drinks was an effective
measure to reduce the case burden of non-communicable diseases.

“In the current situation of coronavirus pandemic, Pakistan will have to face its
aftermath with worsened economic condition putting heavy burden on the budget.
Approximately, four billion packs of cigarettes are being sold in Pakistan annually.

“Last year, the government announced a health levy of Rs10 per pack of cigarettes
and Re1 per 250ml of sugary drinks. However, the health levy approved by the
cabinet, was not presented in the Financial Bill 2019-20 and, therefore, could not be
implemented,” he said.

“If the health levy is imposed on cigarettes, the government will generate about
Rs40 billion per year in addition to the existing tax revenues. Same is the case with
sugary drinks.

According to a 2013-14 survey, Pakistan produces 2.063 billion litres of soft drinks
per year. If Re1/250ml health levy is imposed on soft drinks, it will help generate
eight to 10 billion rupees annually.”

He said the government needs to adopt a futuristic approach and channelise the
additional revenues into situations where financial setbacks are faced such as the
current pandemic of coronavirus.

This additional 40 to 50 billion rupees will continue in lessening the financial

crunch that the country is facing.

Mr Saleem urged the government to consider implementing the health levy on

cigarettes and sugary drinks on an immediate basis to generate the much-needed
revenue.
Govt to suspend 12 train services from Sunday:
Rashid

ISLAMABAD: To contain the spread of the coronavirus, the Pakistan

Railways has decided to suspend 12 trains from March 22 (Sunday) and
may close 20 more from April 1, depending on the gravity of the
situation then.

Addressing a press conference at the press information department on Thursday,

Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said the measures had been taken for
the safety of people and to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

The suspended trains include: Khushhal Khan Khattak Express (from Peshawar to
Karachi-Karachi to Peshawar), Akbar Express (from Lahore to Quetta-Quetta to
Lahore), Sindh Express (from Karachi to Multan-Multan to Karachi), Ravi Express
(from Lahore to Shorkot-Shorkot to Lahore), Shah Latif Express (from Dhabeji to
Mirpurkhas-Mirpurkhas to Dhabeji) and Rohi Passenger from Sukkur to Khanpur.

“The passengers who already got seat reservations in these trains will be returned
the fare without any deduction. All the tickets will be refunded to the passengers and
they will also be given a choice to use other trains in this fare,” he said.

He said that to be able to refund the 100 per cent fare, Pakistan Railways had
commenced work worth Rs80 million and it would be completed in three to four
days. He said that the railways would not facilitate the passengers if they wanted to
go to other destinations on this fare.

He said that daily 134 trains plied across the country and more than 70 million
travelled through Pakistan Railways annually while 200,000 people travelled daily.
However, due to the outbreak of coronavirus, the number of passengers has reduced
to 160,000.

He said that a total of 15 freight trains were operational and it would not be closed in
the coming days to transport goods across the country.

The minister said that the Pakistan Railways took a difficult decision to shut down
some trains instead of closing the train service completely as otherwise they would
not be able to pay the pensions and the salaries to the employees.

“We earn money from passengers and freight trains and it is spent on the
expenditures of the train services, pension and salaries,” he said, adding that the
Pakistan Railways earned Rs10 billion profit last fiscal year and after payment of
petroleum charges and procurement of engines, it had saved Rs4bn.
He said the trains that would be suspended from March 22, would be parked in
Walton, Kot Lakhpat, Landhi, Malir, Chaklala and Peshawar. He said two trains
would be parked per area.

The minister said Pakistan Railways has called a special meeting on March 25 to
make decisions regarding further plan of action.

The minister said that Pakistan Railways had 12 big hospitals and 26 dispensaries
and had offered the federal government to utilise these health facilities for
establishment of isolation centres of coronavirus.

The minister opposed the idea of a complete lockdown, saying that it was not the
solution of any problem as the countries where a lockdown was implemented could
not contain the virus either.

To a question about the closure of Lal Haveli, his political office, Sheikh Rashid said
he had not yet stopped listening to public complaints in Lal Haveli on Mondays and
Fridays and that he would continue mitigating sufferings of the people and
maintaining close contact with them despite coronavirus fears.

Process of elimination
THIS is a process of elimination which would have taken Agatha Christie
only a few minutes to explain. The suspects are all there, identified by
experts, and endorsed by your leaders in their addresses to the nation.
All you have to do is follow their clues to mark yourself as safe.

You are safe from the latest coronovirus strain if you happen to be one of the 98 per
cent of people who the specialists believe are going to survive the onslaught. The
well-intentioned and very active adviser to the government has been saying it all
along. There is no need to panic, he has been asserting rightly, a sentiment that has
been echoed nationally and internationally.

But this 98pc security is not good enough for everyone. There are always those who
need additional assurances before the ‘we are safe’ theory can apply to them. This
necessitates more groups — based on age, and based on those considered vulnerable
by doctors because of their medical history.

Yet more factors are added by social agents. An element of religion is added. It is
noted the pious who go to mosques and to holy places are more susceptible to the
virus. Certain sects may be more resistant to not fighting the threat than others. And
those who party late into the night must try and reduce their hours of exposure.
Why so much stress on the lack of resources where you needed
to display your strongest side to the people?
There are boundaries galore that have to be reinforced. The quarantine. The origins.
How it could have been best smothered at the point of origin by cutting off the town
from the rest of the world. That is an old story now. It is between ‘our own’ provinces
and cities and people now.

Pick your clues. For example, you are alright if you happen to be at a safe distance
from the ghettos of Taftan or the disease-breeding dungeons of D.G. Khan, which
from its appearance and grievances is more Balochistan than privileged Punjab. You
could be safer in Punjab where the incidence is still low as compared to Sindh that
has received more than 200 COVID-19 patients so far.

There are of course other modern ways this Agatha-like game of eliminating the
suspects in the room, one by one, can be played. The spiritually blessed are first to
be separated from the ordinary, followed by the physically uncompromised. The one
who has mastered the skill of socially isolating himself or herself may come to that
side. Next, the ones who have stocked up on hand sanitisers for a lifetime —
stretching between a few weeks and a few decades — may step aside. Now let us see
who among the prime list we are left with.

Let us not say that this is unnecessary. We all need assurances. And this precisely is
the point here. All of us need assurances from those in authority; we need a pat on
the back from those empowered, rather than being discriminated against in the
name of strengthening the majority.

The officials are doing their bit, their best. They must be appreciated just as they are
to be reminded, from time to time, of urgent work requiring their attention. But then
it would not hurt the good doctor or the sincere and honest prime minister if they
tried to make an effort to reassure everyone here without exception.

The majority rules. This is why we cannot have lockdowns. We have to care for the
poor, we learn again on the good authority of the prime minister. We are a poor
country of daily wagers who have lately drawn the attention of journalists towards
their problems during an epidemic that forces large-scale closure. That is a very
valid point, sir. But why so much despondency where you could have used the space
at your disposal to express resolve? Why so much stress on the lack of resources
where you needed to display your strongest side to the people? And why no buck-up
signs to the people left outside the so-called safe circle?

There has been criticism of governments being reduced to performing the routine of
television channels ever since the COVID-19 epidemic outbreak. Wash hands, keep
social distance, stay hydrated, self-quarantine in case of suspicion, watch how other
countries are coping with it, and do not panic — it seems that all these worthy
officials and politicians are looking for careers as social commentators on television
post-retirement. The government has been accused of delayed reaction, but one
would like to believe that some effort is being put in.

The rulers and their teams could yet win people’s respect by ensuring some basics
such as an uninterrupted supply of commodities in an atmosphere rife with fear
about an impending catastrophe. Once again, the absence of an effective local
government system in times of extreme need is most strongly felt.

Within the system that they have, we have no option but to believe that they are not
looking to wash their hands of it in a hurry here. It is a global threat and everyone is
following a global model. The model applied is pretty much the same as the one
which the dream merchants in Milan and elsewhere have been using to catch the
fancy of ‘those who matter’. Who matters? The so called 98pc. The people in that age
group. The fit. The fittest. The prime minister of a poor resourceless country is
seeking to assure and reassure those with no serious medical history, without
obviously realising that he might end up scaring the already vulnerable.

It is the same pattern that your fashion designers follow. Designing for the fittest,
the slim and able-bodied, beginning with size zero. The millions of plump, unkempt
and shamed, their jacket pockets drooping under the weight of vitamin bottles and
their attire reeking of hospital odour can find their own cloak to isolate themselves
in.

The writer is Dawn’s resident editor in Lahore.

A universal passion
LIKE light, water, knowledge, love is another aspect of human life,
celebrated universally. Love is a passion that has been eulogised by all —
in primitive as well as advanced societies. Poets and prose writers,
singers and dancers, mythology narrators, qissa khawans, all have sung
the beauty of love — its pains and pleasures.

In faith-based traditions, the love of God, with whatever name, and the inspirers of
faith, whether prophets or gurus, the devotees have expressed immense love for
them; aspiring to live or die for them. In Muslim tradition, the love of Allah,
followed by that of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) have been the core passion in
all communities of interpretation. Often, this has been expressed through a whole
genre of poetry called hamd (Allah’s praise), naat (Prophet’s praise), manqabat
(Hazrat Ali and Ahlul Bayt’s praise) or the praise of Sufi masters such as Shahbaz
Qalandar and Data Ganj Bakhsh.

Often all these genres have been combined in another genre called qawwali, sung
with soul-nourishing passion by a group of singers. In this regard, Maulana Rumi’s
love for his murshid, Shams Tabriz, is proverbial, and he gives the highest regard to
him (Shams) to the extent of dedicating his whole divan to him, called Divan-i-
Shams Tabriz. Allama Iqbal humbly called himself ‘Murid-i-Hindi’ of Rumi.

When in intense love, it is often called ‘ishq’, the culmination of love. ‘Ishq’ is an
Arabic word, which stands for an insect. For humans, metaphorically, it means if
one is touched by intoxicating love, it culminates in the ‘annihilation’ of its beholder.
In a spiritual sense, what this means is that when a person is engulfed with love, he
or she becomes ‘extinct’ as an individual, but at the same time, resurrects itself in
the Being, leading to what is known as ‘fana fi Allah, baqa bi Allah’ (Annihilating in
God and becoming Ever-living with Him). This is also called ‘enlightenment’ in a
mystical sense.

Love is no monopoly of any one culture or nation, faith or

community.
Love also expresses itself in human relations. Human societies are dotted with
popular stories of love between two humans. Laila-Majnoon, Heer-Ranjha, Sassi-
Punnu are just a few examples. Similarly, love of human ‘service’ is also a
remarkable story in human history. Men and women have devoted their entire lives
to the service of humanity, risking even their own well-being.

Beyond religion and human relations, love expresses itself in many other ways. Love
of wisdom (philosophy) and love of exploring and investigating the secrets of the
universe have been equally strong passions. Scientists, both in social and hard
sciences, researchers and writers often spend much of their lives passionately
researching, discovering and writing for the love of discovery and innovations to
ease human and animal sufferings.

In Muslim contexts, the passion of love of discovery is expressed in a complex way.

It is reflection on God’s signs (aayaat) spread from heaven to the earth. Sir Sayyed
Ahmad Khan appropriately calls the reflection on the verses of the Quran the word
of God and the universe as the work of God, supplementing each other. As the verses
of God are loved so is the work of God, the living verses of God, which the verbal
verses refer to.

As one gets ‘enlightenment’ through ‘meditation,’ so does one through

‘contemplation.’ What a mystic sees is perceived by one who contemplates.
Therefore, in many Muslim traditions, these two paths of reaching the truths have
been accepted as complementary, though some have seen them as opposing paths.

A glimpse of this complementarity (of mystical meditation and intellectual

contemplation) can be seen fused together in the Quranic verse: “Behold! In the
creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of Night and Day, there
are indeed Signs for men of understanding. Men who celebrate the praises of Allah
standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of)
creation in the heavens and the earth (with the thought): ‘Our Lord! Not for naught
hast Thou created (all) this! Glory to Thee! ...” (3: 190-191). This verse gives a
powerful message towards remembering God as worship and contemplating on the
nature — the living verses of God — as practical worship, the twin ways of loving and
celebrating God’s creation, and through it, God Himself.

Thus, love is all-pervasive, expressed through numerous ways to quench the eternal
thirst in human beings to love all those or all that worthy of it. To love is no
monopoly of any one culture or nation, faith or community. The language of love,
like that of music, and dance, art and architecture, is universal.

The writer is an educationist with an interest in the study of religion and

philosophy.
 Global vaccine
THE novel coronavirus spreading rapidly through the world represents
an utterly historic moment. If the immediate task is to do all possible to
‘flatten the curve’, longer-term questions about the shape of the global
political economy are equally important to think through.

Perhaps the most likely scenario is that 18 months down the line — when a mass
vaccine is expected to be available globally — we will resume business as usual (pun
intended). Slowly but surely, MNCs and most nation states that preside over the
capitalist world system will stealthily nurse us all back through a standard dose of
‘post-disaster reconstruction’.

Recent history suggests that this is possible; it was barely over a decade ago that the
global financial crisis (GFC) exposed the brittle, crisis-ridden and polarising edifices
of economic, political and cultural power that structure our lives. Marx was read
widely again, the Occupy Wall Street and Arab Spring movements captured the
imagination of a new generation of young people, and the term ‘crony capitalism’
was mainstreamed. And at the end of it all we got Trump, Boris Johnson, Narendra
Modi, Sisi, Imran Khan and others whose leadership — or lack thereof — has been
exposed, once and for all, over the past few weeks.

But COVID-19 can prove to be a very different shot in our collective arm. Historians
use the term ‘contingency’ to refer to the outcomes in social life triggered by
unpredictable events that end up shaping the future in profound ways. As we speak,
people in Pakistan and the rest of the world are breaking out of their alienated shells
to do whatever they can to stem the virus, offsetting ruling establishments without
the ability or willingness to respond to a burgeoning human catastrophe.

COVID-19 can prove to be a different shot in our collective

arm.
Scientists tell us that COVID-19 is a once-in-a-century epidemic, comparable to the
Spanish flu of 1918-20, which claimed more than 50 million lives worldwide. Today,
we have both the technology and means for collective action for all the world’s
people to be healthy, educated, and live with dignity. Here is why more of us need to
come forward to make this the contingent outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic.
First, Western powers that have ruled the world for so long now find themselves at
the whims of a globalised system, the inherent crisis tendencies of which cannot be
confined to ex-colonies and other peripheral regions. The relentless search for profit
across borders explains the origins of the virus — industrial agriculture — along with
its spread across the world. Powerful interests in China and beyond knew of COVID-
19 in December, but the logic of profit-making trumped precautionary measures.

That the rich and powerful are calling this a global crisis betrays the everyday crises
experienced by the poor, oppressed ethnic/racial communities, women and religious
minorities in countries like ours. They navigate unaccountable states and brazen
class privilege, let alone successive imperialist wars, perpetual state/non-state
terror, and ecological breakdown. Capitalism as it plays out beyond the glam and
glitter of shopping malls, gated housing communities and the fetish of commodities
is a crisis, a scandal, a blot on our collective conscience. Indeed, in the event that the
virus spreads in the slums, markets and farms of South Asia and Africa, the
wretched of the earth will again carry the heaviest burden.

Second, even if this mass pandemic does not do as much damage as is feared, it is
apparent that corporate agricultural and industrial practices along with a reckless
financial sector will generate more existential moments whether pandemics, or
fallouts, caused by global warming/climate change.

Third, the US, UK and other governments bailing out big business confirms that the
‘free market’ is a sham. Spain has nationalised private hospitals, France waived
utility bills and Europe is in the throes of an unprecedented push for indiscriminate
basic income schemes to get working people through impending economic
recession. The fact that public health infrastructures in rich countries like the US,
UK and Italy are buckling demolishes whatever claim to legitimacy neoliberalism
had left.

The survival of the fittest mentality that dominates the world must give way to an
organised politics to transform ourselves and the planet. For Pakistanis, March 23
represents an opportune moment for us to think through hegemonic notions of
‘national security’ which explain why our public health infrastructures are so poor,
why atom bombs cannot help us now, and how we must move beyond the rentier
logics that guide our establishment and its puppets.

On the one hand is the divide and rule of capitalism encapsulated in smears like
‘Chinese’ virus and officialdom in Quetta stigmatising the Hazara community. On
the other are the politically conscious people now charged with discovering a truly
global vaccine to the structural virus that is eating us alive.

The writer teaches at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.

Thar crying out for justice
IF on each annual visit to Tharparkar you find the people complaining
about the same causes of their misery they have mentioned year after
year, the inevitable conclusion is that the state has still not accepted its
responsibility to rescue them from poverty, hunger and despair.

The Thar community’s despair is symbolised in the person of Munno Bheel. He can
be seen among the landless haris who have been freed of their bondage to heartless
landlords but still face an uncertain future. As he rises to speak you can see he has
become thinner, his voice has lost the thunder for which it was known, and his eyes
no longer sparkle.

The state has forgotten how many years have passed since his wife and children
were abducted to punish him for breaking the shackles of slavery. He spent days and
weeks sitting outside the Hyderabad Press Club and going on hunger strike in
several spells. Then chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry intervened but in vain, and the
police officer who tried to help Munno was punished. After the tragedy of the Adiala
11 and the fruitless effort to end enforced disappearances this was perhaps the
biggest setback suffered by the Chaudhry court.

Now Munno Bheel’s case is being heard by the Sindh High Court. But as days pass
without any sign of his family’s recovery Munno is sinking into despair.

The Thar community’s despair is symbolised in the person of

Munno Bheel.
As you move around and listen to the blistering denunciation of the exploitative
system from exceptionally eloquent hari women you are overwhelmed by the
callousness of landlords who keep slaves and buy and sell them with impunity and
the resilience of women slaves to fight on. Across Thar you only hear of
unemployment, poverty, child brides’ emaciated babies dying at home and in
hospitals, shortage of water, nonfunctional ROs, denial of minimum wage to
workers, indifference of political bosses, loss of land to new settlers, and the influx of
extremists who are destroying the haven of communal harmony the civilised people
of the desert have maintained.

Meanwhile, concerns about the long-term viability of the Thar coal project and its
impact on the life of the community keep growing. The National Commission for
Human Rights had taken considerable interest in Tharparkar’s development and
human rights issues before it became dysfunctional last year. The commission had
decided to use civil society resources to acquire a proper understanding of the
socioeconomic and environmental impact of the ongoing projects on the local
community, by documenting the affected community’s experience and its opinions
on the Thar coal project. The report of the committee of researchers set up for the
purpose has been released: Its key recommendations are:
 1. Work in Block II that has already been developed needs to be phased out and work in
other blocks suspended in view of the discontent in the local community, prohibitive
cost of the project, environmental damage and adverse effect on livelihoods, and the
need for plans for energy generation from renewable resources.
2. The local community must be taken on board for each development plan.
3. The Thar people want an end to their dependence on rain. They demand a new system
of channelling river water through canals and pipelines for both drinking and
irrigation purposes.
4. A new and permanent mechanism should be created for maintaining fodder banks and
protection of grazing grounds for the livestock.
5. The local population’s fears of unfavourable demographic change because of an
influx from other parts of the country must be allayed.
6. Aquifers need to be protected. Coal extraction requires dewatering of aquifers and this
may destroy the rain-fed layer.
7. The government has allocated Rs72 billion for Thar coal infrastructure which also
affects the local community. About two per cent must be reserved for local
communities’ development.
8. Land settlement in Thar is long overdue.
9. Coal development is resulting in many social changes ie soaring land prices, rise of
capitalists, consumerism, widening of rich-poor divide, and marginalisation of asset-
less, illiterate and poorly skilled communities. A comprehensive plan should be
launched to improve access to education, community infrastructure, mobility,
nutrition levels, and health facilities.
All of these are sound recommendations and if the Sindh government does not take
them seriously it will be guilty of betraying one of the country’s most precious
human stock. It is now clearer than ever that Thar’s misery cannot end until the folly
of using coal and obsolete machinery for producing electricity is abandoned.

The Thar development agenda should give priority to exploitation of Nagarparkar’s

potential to attract tourists. The historical and religious monuments in Nagarparkar
are valuable parts of Pakistan’s heritage. These monuments have survived many
decades of neglect but any further negligence could cause irreparable damage and
disappearance of attractions for tourists.

The virus threat: As the threat from coronavirus becomes more and more serious all
issues and debates are becoming irrelevant. While one hopes the efforts to contain
the pandemic are as effective as government spokespersons claim they are, evidence
on the ground dispels complacency. Screening arrangements at airports have been
described as perfunctory by travellers from the US and Canada. Arrangements for
treatment of infected persons are limited to main cities and the lack of such facilities
in the rural areas, where huge numbers of people cannot stay away from their
livestock, is giving rise to concern. It is good that the prime minister has decided to
supervise the fight against the disease but everything will depend on the quality of
services he supervises. The people want to be reassured that our health system has
the capacity to learn to face the challenge of the latest pandemic. Priority needs to be
given for ensuring free treatment of coronavirus cases throughout the country,
especially in areas like Thar, so that the poor do not die for want of money.

PSL provides exciting, breakout batting talent:

Ramiz
ISLAMABAD: Former skipper Ramiz Raja said on Thursday that the fifth
edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) has provided the country with
some exciting and breakout batting talent.

“For the past several years we were eager to see whether the PSL would provide the
country talent in batting or not. Finally, after four years of hard effort we've found
young exciting batting talent,” he said on his YouTube channel ‘Ramiz Speaks’.

He said although PSL five remained incomplete [due to coronavirus outbreak], it

was promising as it was full of batting and bowling thrill.

He further said in the tournament there were four to five young batsmen who
displayed impressive talent. “I think they are breakout players, who can serve
Pakistan very well in the future provided work is done on them and they are taken
care of,” the cricketer-turned commentator said.

“Haider Ali (Peshawar Zalmi), Zeeshan Ashraf (Multan Sultans), Azam Khan
(Quetta Gladiators) and Khusdil Shah (Multan Sultans) played outstandingly in the
tournament and could become world-class articles if proper attention was paid on
them,” observed Ramiz.

Haider Ali’s numbers in PSL from the point of view of strike rate are outstanding.
But his average is 29, which is not enough for a frontline batsman. That means he
will have to bring in consistency. His ideal position to bat is number three as he can
play big shots. He does not need to do improvisation as he has quality hits and his
power base is so strong that he can even be successful if he keeps on doing normal
batting,” wrote Ramiz.

“His best template and reference point is Virat Kohli and Babar Azam, who both
have staggering numbers in T20 cricket as they don't do too much improvisation.
They both have skills and play such conventional shots, which help them to remain
consistent and prove much-winners.”

“Haider Ali is also a talent of that level. He is a natural big hitter and strike force,
who only needs to be consistent,” he added.

Ramiz said Zeeshan Ashraf was another impressive young batsman whose take off in
PSL was stunning. “He plays openly and freely but skillfully and gives you a left-
handed opening option.”
He said if properly work is done, Zeeshan could prove a great asset as he could do
pinch hitting and play long innings.

“My next pick is Azam Khan, who has immense batting talent. Clearly, he has to
reduce his weight and improve his fitness. But what is impressive about him is his
calm demeanour, confidence and the ability to read the situation and then apply
himself. He is also not scared of the reputation of a bowler.”

He said being the son of former captain Moeen Khan and Gladiators head coach,
Azam had an added pressure which he successfully handled through his
performance. At no point [in the event] that extra pressure was evident on his face.
He backed himself and played some superb innings in the middle order.

“This was a very difficult position for a young batsman, especially at a time when
Gladiators top order was not functioning. The good thing about him was that he
played some really big shots, while his defence was also very solid. This shows that
he has the ingredients to become a force to reckon with.”

Ramiz expressed the hope that in the next PSL edition, Azam would be a lean
machine as that was necessary for his future in cricket.

The erstwhile captain also heaped praises at Khushdil Shah, who scored 175 runs in
PSL five with 100 of them coming on sixes and fours. For four times he remained
unbeaten in this tournament. He is a God-gifted batsman, who is a natural timer of
the ball. He batted down the order but never disappointed his team.

He said Khushdil played some entertaining innings, particularly the one against
Lahore Qalandars, who had a very strong fast bowling attack was very impressive.
He has good pickup as well as straight shots. The greatest quality of his power
hitting is that he smashes straight at the long off and long on. This is what I was
eager to see from young Pakistani batsmen for quite some time.

“I feel Pakistan has found a match-winner at the position of number six or seven.
Being a left-hander he gives you an advantage as the opposition will have to work
hard to bowl such a batsman in the late middle order.”

Ramiz also lauded young Pakistani bowlers stating that added beauty to the
tournament. He said five to six bowlers had the capability to bowl at 146km to
147km per hour. From hard length ball to a yorker and from slow bouncer to a hard
bouncer they possess all varieties.

“We saw a high velocity, high voltage fast bowling in PSL. These bowlers used
variations according to the requirement of the situation. This shows that Pakistans
future in fast bowling is fully perfect and filled.”
Recalling the 1918 pandemic
THE year was 1918 when the first case of the Spanish flu was reported
from Kansas, United States. By the time it ended about two years later,
the Spanish flu pandemic was believed to have infected at least 500
million people — a staggering one-third of the population of the whole
world. The death toll was said to be around 50m.

The largest number of lives taken by the Spanish flu was in undivided India. More
than 18m people perished from the disease there — this was the largest number of
deaths in a single country. Mahatma Gandhi also contracted the Spanish flu along
with millions of his compatriots. His experiences and that of the Indian population
at large exposed the inequities of colonial rule under the British.

By the time the Spanish flu struck the subcontinent in the 20th century, the British
had ruled India for one and half centuries, without having invested anything in the
country’s health infrastructure. There was no network of hospitals and no real
system that could deliver healthcare to the millions of ordinary people living under
colonial rule. Hence, it is not surprising there was also no way of saving millions of
those who were infected by the lethal flu.

For the Indian masses, this experience only confirmed the belief that the British
were not benevolent masters. Perceptions that the latter were bringing scientific
progress to India and lifting it out of poverty could not really hold during the
pandemic and after it receded. Indeed, ordinary Indians could ask that if the British
were so interested in making things better for the Indians, why did they fail to
provide a basic healthcare system that could have saved thousands of lives in the
land they ruled? The lack of answers from British representatives was among the
factors that sowed the seeds of political discontent in the subcontinent. Hence, it
could be said that the struggle against the British colonialists was further
strengthened by a global pandemic.

Like the Spanish flu, the novel coronavirus may also trigger a
collapse of the world order.
The fatality rates and patterns of mortality of the Spanish flu made its ravages even
more poignant. Most of the people it killed were young adults — those who had their
lives before them, those whose loss would be felt the most and the longest. Death
often came with what is called a ‘cytokine storm’, a reaction in which the body’s
immune system is overwhelmed, triggering a shutdown of the organs one after the
other. The first to fail was the respiratory system, the patient could no longer
breathe and death would follow soon after.

What paved the way for increasing anti-British sentiment in India also caused
political cataclysms in other parts of the world. According to history books, people of
the time would associate the Spanish flu with the First World War in Europe. The
casualties of this world war would merge in popular memory with the casualties of
the Spanish flu, the terrible sadness and feeling of loss of the two fusing into one
indistinguishable whole.

Our current historical moment feels just as momentous as the days of the Spanish
flu. There are similarities in the two diseases themselves. The COVID-19 is not just a
dangerous strain of influenza; it also affects the respiratory system. It also provokes
a cytokine storm that overwhelms the respiratory system first. Many patients find it
difficult to breathe and have to be attached to a ventilator. Reports from the
Netherlands and South Korea show that patients can remain on the ventilator for
several weeks before they are able to breathe on their own. That is, if they survive.
Many don’t and many others will not. The novel coronavirus has now spread to most
countries of the world. The doubling of cases every few days has meant that the
world at large has been forced to introspect and change its own behaviour because of
the inefficacy of the existing containment measures.

As epidemiologists are fond of telling us, the life of a virus is the behaviour of the
virus and the behaviour of the host. Since the virus’s aptitude for surviving on
surfaces and infecting sometimes without causing symptoms cannot currently be
treated, human beings have had to change their behaviour instead. It is currently
believed that if a large enough number of the human population alters its behaviour
through self-isolation, there will be no new hosts for the virus. If there are no new
hosts then the spread of the coronavirus, which has proven to be a master at
travelling fast and furiously, can finally be stopped.

Then there is the question of politics. The Spanish flu pandemic was closely followed
by sweeping transformational change all over the globe. Similarly, the novel
coronavirus will also claim its casualties in the collapse of systems and beliefs that
have existed unchallenged for decades or centuries. We might witness the fall of
governments and the fall of great world leaders.

It is a historic time, it is an uncertain time, and it is a deadly time. It is also a time

that is desperate for human solidarity. If humans, particularly those who are young
and healthy, alter their behaviour despite knowing that the virus is likely to spare
them, then the old, the weak and the infirm have a chance at survival. It is a tall
order for a world that pivots on self-interest. But humankind has accomplished great
things in the past. It has survived and it has endured. Now is the time to remind
oneself and everyone else of that truth, that possibility, so that all may endure the
darkness of the moment.

Correction: An earlier version of this article carried some errors some

incorrect dates, the error has been rectified.

The writer is an attorney teaching constitutional law and political philosophy.

rafia.zakaria@gmail.com
The contagion has landed
THERE are times in the life of any government when it is faced with a
crisis of such mammoth proportions that it becomes the signature event
defining that government’s legacy. We can think of the earthquake of
2005 or the floods of 2010 as examples.

The Musharraf regime, for all the criticism that has been levelled at it for its failings,
provided a swift and decisive response to the earthquake. It took a couple of days for
the magnitude of the damage to sink in, but once the true scale of the disaster was
known, Musharraf was in firm command at the head of the government and directed
the response in a way that even his harshest critics (and I count myself among them)
will admit was admirable.

People took the lead provided by him and ventured into the affected areas with relief
supplies in large numbers, and the country pulled itself together as one behind him
for those days and worked to help its brethren in the affected areas get back on their
feet. No doubt one could find all sorts of faults with what was done in those days, but
it cannot be denied that the affected areas were back on their feet within a period of
a few years at most.

The floods of 2010 provide a contrast. One searing image from those days is the
picture of the helicopter carrying then president Asif Zardari landing at his estate in
northern France as the floodwaters devastated the country. When you have a
moment, just google Pakistan flood and look at the images to rekindle the memories.
The government was skewered for its casual ‘let them eat cake’ sort of response, and
in subsequent years when flooding returned the president made sure he was seen on
the front line in every case.

We must break the chains of transmission and then hunt

down the virus.
Between these two extremes, where is Imran Khan going to be placed? What we are
facing now is at least as big a disaster as either of those two events. There is no
telling yet how far this will go. At the moment, all we know with certainty is that the
number of people infected with the coronavirus is far higher than what government
data would have us believe, simply because the number of tests carried out is
pathetically low and the screening criteria to determine who is eligible for a test are
very stringent and do not include those who show symptoms but have no travel
history. This means cases of secondary infection are most likely not showing up in
official data.

As of the end of day on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health’s Daily Situation Report
showed that 1,621 tests had been performed of which 241 were positive. If these were
16,210 tests, how much do you want to bet that the number of those testing positive
would be 2,410? Of all these tests 606 were carried out in Sindh and another 627 in
Islamabad. By end of day on Tuesday, Punjab had tested 133 people only. At least
that’s what the official data is showing, and even in the data there are problems
because on some occasions the tallies given by the federal authorities are different
from the ones being put out by the provinces. So we know they’re having trouble
keeping tabs on the data, but if we take it at face value then the number of tests
being carried out is far too low.

The government is falling back on the argument that this is an intractable problem
and even advanced economies are having a tough time dealing with it, and that there
is no known cure. That may be true but is hardly reassuring to hear from one’s own
top authorities who seem more driven to defend their actions and bicker with the
opposition than to work together to fashion a strong, far-reaching response.

Even in his national address, which was weak to the point of debilitation, the prime
minister managed praise for the government of Balochistan but said nothing about
Sindh that has organised the most robust response to the growing danger than
anybody else in the federation. The omission reveals a pettiness of mind, and an
inability to put politics and personal feelings aside at a time of extreme peril.

Lockdowns carry a grave cost in our country where the vast majority does not have
the means to buy supplies to carry them for weeks on end, nor do they have the
space in which to isolate members of their families at home who might be infected.
People live crammed 10 to a room in many working class localities in Karachi and
putting them in lockdown and expecting that they will isolate those who might show
symptoms is ridiculous.

Yet we must break the chains of transmission and then hunt down the virus —one
infected person at a time — because there is no other way to win this fight. That is
why the state is needed urgently at this time, because the effort will take massive
quarantine centres coupled with ramped-up testing. And those quarantine centres
need to be managed far better than the one in Taftan because there a resource-
starved provincial government was left to its own devices to manage an influx of
almost 6,000 people from the neighbouring country in the midst of an outbreak.

The government of Balochistan says it was abandoned by the federal government

once the returnees began to arrive, since it was the federal authorities who had
promised to set up a testing facility in Quetta which never materialised.

Let’s hope the leadership is up to the job.

The writer is a member of staff.

khurram.husain@gmail.com

Twitter: @khurramhusain
Whispered warnings

FEW of Mr Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s associates are still alive. Those loyal to
him, who suffered for that loyalty, are in their graves. They were joined
on March 14 by Dr Mubashir Hasan, a founding member of the Pakistan
Peoples Party and later its secretary general.

Before joining Mr Bhutto, Dr Mubashir taught civil engineering for 11 years at a local
university and practised for another seven as a consultant. A ‘socialist pundit’, Dr
Mubashir’s views coincided with the image Mr Bhutto wanted to project as a
champion of egalitarianism, ‘the people’s redeemer’. Their PPP manifesto
proclaimed: “Islam is our Religion; Democracy is our Politics; Socialism is our
Economy; Power Lies with the People.” The fifth unspoken element demanded
loyalty to the party’s Quaid-i-Awam.

Mr Bhutto straddled two antithetical worlds — archaic feudalism and vibrant

modernity. Gifted with what his Oxford tutor Hugh Trevor-Roper called “an
effortless superiority”, Mr Bhutto dominated his contemporaries, within and outside
the PPP. He persuaded Dr Mubashir to stand as a National Assembly candidate in
the 1970 elections, which Dr Mubashir won against a seasoned railway trade union
leader. Mr Bhutto appointed Dr Mubashir his first minister of finance. Dr
Mubashir’s mother sagely but unsuccessfully advised him not to accept.

“My experience in the field of finance was nil,” Dr Mubashir admitted afterwards.
Nevertheless, obedient to Mr Bhutto’s command and his own socialist precepts, he
launched a daring, daunting and ultimately damaging programme for the
nationalisation of key industries. Dr Mubashir’s recollection of the first meeting on
nationalisation in December 1971 indicates how ill-prepared the new government
was. When questioned by the secretary finance A.G.N. Kazi and the secretary
industries Qamar-ul-Islam on what was to be the criteria applicable to such
nationalisation, the future structure of management, method of compensation, the
source of funds, etc., Dr Mubashir and his fellow ideologue J.A. Rahim were “unable
to give any comprehensive guidelines”. They learned soon enough, and went on to
nationalise insurance companies, banks and ghee mills.

Dr Mubashir was too significant to be evicted.

Within its first year, the PPP government succumbed to Mr Bhutto’s ‘Caesarism’.
Senior ministers quit, including Mian Mahmud Kasuri in October 1972, Mairaj
Mohammed Khan, and then Dr Mubashir in November 1972. Mr Bhutto persuaded
Dr Mubashir to remain. Ever loyal, Dr Mubashir continued, but with increasing
dismay at Mr Bhutto’s unbridled authoritarianism. He resigned yet again in August
1973. Rafi Raza (one of Mr Bhutto’s closest confidants) recalled the mutual
disenchantment: “ZAB had tired of his doctrinaire, leftist views, while Mubashir
Hasan as finance minister found it difficult to cope with ZAB’s increasing demands
on behalf of friends. Many feudals, even educated ones, seem to have difficulty in
accepting the separation of state and personal properties.”

Dr Mubashir was too significant a figure in the party to be evicted permanently. In

the run-up to the 1977 elections, at a meeting of the PPP Central Committee, Dr
Mubashir found himself nominated by colleagues as PPP’s secretary general. He
expressed reluctance to rejoin Mr Bhutto’s government but was once again
persuaded to sublimate his concerns to the larger cause. Dr Mubashir fulfilled his
new role with customary earnestness, producing informative pamphlets for voters
and, for those who had the stamina, a 455-page tome in Urdu on the history of
politico-economics titled Shahrah-i-Inqilab. Mr Bhutto never read it.

Even though nominally PPP’s secretary general, Dr Mubashir found himself

sidelined, being told to restrict himself to Lahore’s eight constituencies. The 1977
election results proved too good to be true. Mr Bhutto asked Dr Mubashir: “What
happened?” Dr Mubashir replied that the people have voted for him. An incredulous
Mr Bhutto responded: “Are you sure, are you sure?” The opposition parties shared
Mr Bhutto’s incredulity, and took to the streets.

The final fracture between Mr Bhutto and Dr Mubashir occurred during a lengthy
meeting in Governor’s House, Lahore on April 11, 1977. Dr Mubashir spoke with
unacceptable frankness. After it, Mr Bhutto suggested Dr Mubashir leave for Egypt.
He returned in June, a month before Gen Ziaul Haq ousted Mr Bhutto. After Mr
Bhutto’s ‘judicial murder’ in 1979, Dr Mubashir, like many PPP leaders, remained
loyal to the Bhutto name, in his case to Ghinwa Bhutto.

Throughout his long life, Dr Mubashir contributed tirelessly to society — under-

appreciated, unrewarded, unheard. His memoirs The Mirage of Power (2000)
contains one particularly potent observation: “A secret, and untouchable ring of
informants gradually grows round the prime minister[.] Gradually, he stops
listening to other opinions … within a few months, he gets totally isolated and is at
the mercy of his informants — good, bad or indifferent.”

Leaders wishing to remain leaders should heed Dr Mubashir’s whispered warnings.

He was arrested for expounding such views. He is beyond arrest now. Are we?

The writer is an author and historian.

Preventing abuse

CHILD abuse and neglect include both commission of physical, sexual

and psychological abuse and omission in failing to provide emotional,
educational needs and protection from harm. Too often, incidents of
child abuse surface, leading to public outcry and arrests of perpetrators,
and then everybody retreats to their corner.

The recently passed Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Act (ZARRA) is perhaps
the first instance by the state of truly recognising the severity and urgency of this
issue. All the same, three nagging questions remain: (i) what are the main causes of
such incidents recurring; (ii) can ZARRA adequately prevent such incidents; (iii)
what simultaneous steps can state and society take to create a safe, stable and
nurturing environment for children?

First, it must be understood that child abuse cases are significantly unreported,
especially those of minor girls, owing to the social stigma attached to being a victim.
Despite being a flashpoint for child abuse in the news, in Kasur district, for example,
only 79 cases of child abuse (including rape and sodomy of minors) involving 94
accused persons were lodged in 2019. Fifty-nine cases of attempted rape and
sodomy cases involving 62 accused persons were also lodged.

Second, perpetrators of these heinous crimes are often themselves victims of abuse
during childhood. During police investigation, the accused in the Zainab and
Chunian rape-murder cases both revealed that they were raped as children. When a
child is abused at such an early age, it can leave indelible marks on their psyche.

The Zainab alert law is a positive step, albeit with some flaws.
Third, in almost all these cases, predators find easy targets among poor victims; the
more in need, the easier it is to entice them with paltry sums of money or other gifts.
Even Zainab was lured away in such a manner.

And fourth, barring the occasional media frenzy, our society is generally apathetic
and desensitised towards the issue of child abuse. Perpetrators are viewed simply as
psychopathic or monstrous outliers instead of people hidden in plain sight.

The recently passed ZARRA is an encouraging step. The act is a much-needed

attempt to chalk out an institutional response. It is holistic and integrated in the
sense that it involves more than one department in the recovery of missing and
abducted children. On the response level, it constitutes a dedicated agency with an
early warning system — helpline 1099 — to report cases. Convicted offenders will
now be sentenced to at least 10 years behind bars, up to a maximum of life
imprisonment. But still its approach is reactionary and severe. There are few areas
that need further improvement.
First, ZARRA altogether fails to address child abuse prevention. Incarceration alone
cannot act as an effective deterrent in the absence of an overarching and efficient
preventive mechanism, which has been ignored. Second, rehabilitation of victims
after their release from hostile custody is an area that also needs attention.

Then, the law envisages an alert system along the lines of the US Amber Alert, which
was named after a nine-year-old girl who was abducted and subsequently killed in
Texas in 1996. The alert system has yielded a significant number of recoveries of lost
children in the US. However, replicating the same model in Pakistan doesn’t
necessarily guarantee the same results. In fact, the dynamics of our society are
different.

The alert system works well in urban societies with an extensively integrated service
structure. If ZARRA is instantaneously circulated to the general public as outlined in
Article 5(a) of the act, it will create more panic and insecurity, and in the bargain be
of little help, if at all. Information concerning the descriptions of missing children
should be shared among concerned quarters only — related government
departments, intelligence agencies and the population of a specific area.

In order to forestall incidents of child abuse, state and society should collectively
step up efforts. At a societal level, it starts primarily with positive parenting in a
family where children are provided care and nurtured at home. They are taught the
difference between appropriate and inappropriate exposure and contact. They are
closely monitored in the company of non-immediate relatives, family friends and in
seminaries.

At a state level, a more aggressive and thoughtful response is needed; local police
must devise a surveillance mechanism to check the activities of desperate,
unemployed, notorious elements in society, especially those involved in child abuse
incidents in the past, as well as places like internet cafés, snooker clubs, mechanic
workshops and ill-reputed seminaries.

To protect its citizens from any assault is the fundamental duty of the state. A state
cannot afford ignorance, nor can it allow its citizens’ lives to be ruined by predators.

The writer is a police officer.

akhlaqtarar5959@gmail.com
Crisis of leadership

THE crisis of leadership in the country has once again been exposed —
this time on account of the coronavirus pandemic. More needs to be
done to reassure the nation in times of crises than just tweeting
messages of comfort and calling for prayers. The decision to hold
cabinet meetings through video link only serves to trivialise an
extremely serious situation that requires a far more prudent approach.

The captain has yet again failed the leadership-in-a-crisis test. Instead of leading
from the front, the prime minister has so far taken a back seat as the country faces
one of its worst crises in recent years. One is not sure whether it is incompetence or
apathy or a combination of both.

Read: PM Imran tells nation to prepare for a coronavirus epidemic, rules out
lockdown

Most countries facing a similar situation have their leaders directly dealing with the
problem, but this has not been the case here. Now we are told that he is personally
monitoring the situation and getting daily briefings on it. Last night, he finally
addressed the nation. In a recent interview to the Associated Press the prime
minister said that he spends most of his time consulting experts on how to deal with
the coronavirus. But is it enough? Has even a meeting of all provincial chief
ministers, who are left to deal with the situation on their own, been called?

Primarily, it is the responsibility of the federal government to take the lead and
formulate a national response to the crisis. Despite the sharp increase in the number
of cases, there is still no effective coordination between the federal and provincial
governments. Surely, this has contributed to the failure to contain the problem.
Nothing could be more pitiable at this stage than the lack of consensus between the
federal and provincial governments over the severity of the crisis. Even the figures
are disputed.

Understating the numbers and downplaying the severity of

the pandemic is not going to help.
Despite the fact that the warning signs were there for a long time, the federal
government responded very slowly. It was only last week that the National Security
Council finally met to discuss the crisis. And still there is no coherent policy to deal
with the enormous challenges that lie ahead. It is not just about stopping the spread
of the virus, but also the long-term economic and social impact of the crisis, one that
has global dimensions.

In an interview with AP, the prime minister said the country did not have the
capacity and resources to deal with the situation if the coronavirus becomes
uncontrollable. He may be right; but then there is an even greater need to stop the
spread of the virus before it is too late. Dealing with the coronavirus must be the
main priority of the state at this point and resources must be diverted to deal with
the pandemic.

The first coronavirus case in Pakistan was detected a month ago and now the
number of cases is in the hundreds. But the federal government lived in a state of
denial. There was no sense of urgency until some days ago when WHO declared a
pandemic. It took time to close our borders and flights coming from areas most
affected by the virus.

Most of the cases so far are among pilgrims and other travellers returning from Iran
and other countries. Initially, the pilgrims from Iran were kept under observation at
the Taftan border crossing in Balochistan. Their number was in the thousands but
there were not enough resources available for the provincial government to test all.

A large number of those who were allowed to leave the Taftan border camps later
tested positive for the coronavirus. One must give credit to the Sindh government
for setting up facilities where the returnees were isolated and tested for the virus.
Testing is perhaps the reason why Sindh has confirmed the highest number of cases
so far. The spread of the virus could have been contained had there been better
coordination between the federal and provincial governments. The federal
government failed to provide any help despite calls from the provincial government.

There were no proper facilities provided by the federal agencies at major airports to
screen passengers flying back home from affected areas until recently. It is
commendable that the Sindh provincial health department made more effective
arrangements at the airport in Karachi.

It took a while for Punjab and KP, both led by the PTI, to wake up to the crisis.
Punjab declared a health emergency only last week. It is quite surprising that the
number of cases in the province has remained low, though that is changing as the
results of the tests carried out on pilgrims returning from Iran show that several
may have the infection. The situation in KP is not very different.

Understating the numbers and downplaying the severity of the pandemic is not
going to help. It is true that there is no need to push the panic button, but apathy is
more dangerous. Transparency and reporting the facts helps in dealing with the
challenge more effectively.

It is understandable that with limited facilities for screening available in the country
it is not easy to get a clear picture, but there is no point in understating the facts
before us. This is a global problem and needs a holistic approach. Despite the
severity of the crisis, the government has not taken all the measures required to
contain the spread of the virus.

A large number of Muslim countries have banned religious congregations and

collective prayers in order to save the population from the virus, but we are still
hesitant to enforce the restrictions. Giving in to pressure, the Punjab government
has assured the clerics that mosques will not be closed.

In order to deal with the enormous challenges, the government needs to take all
stakeholders on board and make some tough decisions. The government must
declare a state of emergency and also mobilise the armed forces. More importantly,
the prime minister needs to show statesmanship in this time of national crisis and
take all political forces along with him. A national crisis requires a collective
response. Will the prime minister transcend political differences and provide
leadership at this critical time?

The writer is an author and journalist.

zhussain100@yahoo.com

Twitter: @hidhussain
PM Imran tells nation to prepare for a coronavirus epidemic,
rules out lockdown

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday asked Pakistanis to prepare for

a coronavirus epidemic in the country but ruled out locking down cities
to fight the disease.

"I want to tell all of you, this virus will spread," the premier said in a televised
address to the nation, his first on COVID-19.

He said he was seeing a "state of panic" taking hold of the country but asked people
to take precautions instead.

Seeking to reassure the public, Prime Minister Imran noted that while COVID-19
spreads rapidly, 97 per cent of its patients make a full recovery. Of these, 90pc
people experience a mild illness similar to the flu, he added.

But he said even if 4-5pc of coronavirus patients out of thousands get critically ill, it
will be a huge burden for healthcare facilities.

Follow our live blog updates on coronavirus here.

The premier said the government had been in contact with the Chinese and Iranian
governments since outbreaks occurred in the two countries. He lauded the
Balochistan government and the Pakistan Army for their efforts to quarantine
Pakistani pilgrims who returned from Iran "in very difficult conditions" and then
dispatching them to various provinces.

He said the government had decided to take action to deal with the disease on
January 15, after it was feared that infections would enter Pakistan from China.
Screenings were started at airports thereafter and so far, 0.9 million people have
been screened for the virus, he noted.

Prime Minister Imran said a meeting of the National Security Committee was called
after 20 cases had emerged in Pakistan, and it studied responses of various countries
to fight the virus.

He said it was suggested that Pakistan should follow some other countries in locking
down its cities, but he said "Pakistan's [economic] situation is not the same as that of
the United States or Europe. There is poverty in our country, with 25pc of the people
living in extreme poverty."

He said the national economy is recovering from a "very difficult time" and so it was
decided not to lock down cities as that could result in people "dying from hunger".
Instead, the government banned public gatherings, closed education institutions
and formed a national coordination committee, the premier said.

He added that the government had activated and provided funds to the National
Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and tasked it with importing necessary
medical equipment from abroad, including ventilators.

Meanwhile, a core committee of medical experts is monitoring the world's response

to the pandemic and giving its advice to the government. President Arif Alvi, too, is
visiting China to learn from Beijing what measures Pakistan can take if the disease
spreads here, the prime minister said.

He said a third committee will assess the economic impacts of the virus on the
country and suggest helpful measures. Imran predicted that the biggest impact will
be seen in exports and businesses.

In this regard, he said the government will also talk to the International Monetary
Fund in order to give relief to industries and exporters.

The committee will also ensure that food inflation does not take place in the country
due to the virus. "I fear that an attempt will be made to cause inflation as was done
by hoarding sugar and wheat stocks."

"There will be a severe reaction from the government against you," the prime
minister said while directly addressing hoarders. "The state will act against you and
punish you if somebody tries to take advantage of people's difficulties again."

'No reason to worry'

Prime Minister Imran said the government alone cannot fight the "war" against
coronavirus. "We have to win this war as a nation," he said, asking people to act
responsibly.

"First of all, there is no reason to worry," he told the nation, urging them to take
precautions.

He urged the public:

 Not to attend large gatherings of more than 40 people

 To avoid gatherings held in closed rooms
 To avoid shaking hands and wash them with soap frequently
 To self-isolate if they arrive in the country from abroad
 Not to rush to get tested if they experience a minor cold

The premier said he has directed Pakistani embassies abroad to fully assist overseas
Pakistanis. He said he was aware of the "difficult time" families of Pakistani students
in the Chinese city of Wuhan had to face after the government decided against
repatriating them.
But he said the "good news" was that China had nearly controlled the epidemic.

Prime Minister Imran also urged ulema to "continuously counsel" people on what
precautions to take and how to go through this "difficult period".

The COVID-19 outbreak, which first emerged in China late last year, has quickly
marched across the globe, infecting more than 180,000 people and killing over
7,000.

Coronavirus vaccine test opens with first doses in the US

US researchers gave the first shots in a first test of an experimental

coronavirus vaccine on Monday, leading off a worldwide hunt for
protection even as the pandemic surges.

With careful jabs in the arms of four healthy volunteers, scientists at the Kaiser
Permanente Washington Research Institute in Seattle began an anxiously awaited
first-stage study of a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed in record time after the
new virus exploded out of China and fanned out across the globe.

“We’re team coronavirus now,” Kaiser Permanente study leader Dr. Lisa Jackson
said on the eve of the experiment. “Everyone wants to do what they can in this
emergency.”

The Associated Press observed as the study’s first participant, an operations

manager at a small tech company, received the injection in an exam room.

“We all feel so helpless. This is an amazing opportunity for me to do something,”

Jennifer Haller, 43, of Seattle said before getting vaccinated. Her two teenagers
“think it’s cool” that she’s taking part in the study.

After the injection, she left the exam room with a big smile: “I’m feeling great.”

Three others were next in line for a test that will ultimately give 45 volunteers two
doses, a month apart.

Neal Browning, 46, of Bothell, Washington, is a Microsoft network engineer who

says his young daughters are proud he volunteered.

“Every parent wants their children to look up to them,” he said. But he’s told them
not to brag to their friends. “It’s other people, too. It’s not just Dad out there.”

Monday’s milestone marked just the beginning of a series of studies in people

needed to prove whether the shots are safe and could work. Even if the research goes
well, a vaccine would not be available for widespread use for 12 to 18 months, said
Dr. Anthony Fauci of the US National Institutes of Health.
At a news conference, President Donald Trump praised how quickly the research
had progressed. Fauci noted that 65 days have passed since Chinese scientists
shared the virus’ genetic sequence. He said he believed that was a record for
developing a vaccine to test.

This vaccine candidate, code-named mRNA-1273, was developed by the NIH and
Massachusetts-based biotechnology company Moderna Inc. There’s no chance
participants could get infected because the shots do not contain the coronavirus
itself.

It’s not the only potential vaccine in the pipeline. Dozens of research groups around
the world are racing to create a vaccine against COVID-19. Another candidate, made
by Inovio Pharmaceuticals, is expected to begin its own safety study next month in
the US, China and South Korea.

The Seattle experiment got underway days after the World Health Organization
declared the new virus outbreak a pandemic because of its rapid global spread,
which has infected more than 169,000 people and killed more than 6,500.

COVID-19 has upended the world’s social and economic fabric since China first
identified the virus in January, with broad regions shuttering schools and
businesses, restricting travel, canceling entertainment and sporting events, and
encouraging people to stay away from each other.

Starting what scientists call a first-in-humans study is a momentous occasion for

scientists, but Jackson described her team’s mood as “subdued.” They’ve been
working around-the-clock readying the research in a part of the US struck early and
hard by the virus.

Still, “going from not even knowing that this virus was out there ... to have any
vaccine” in testing in about two months is unprecedented, Jackson told the AP.

Some of the study’s carefully chosen healthy volunteers, ages 18 to 55, will get higher
dosages than others to test how strong the inoculations should be. Scientists will
check for any side effects and draw blood samples to test if the vaccine is revving up
the immune system, looking for encouraging clues like the NIH earlier found in
vaccinated mice.

“We don’t know whether this vaccine will induce an immune response or whether it
will be safe. That’s why we’re doing a trial,” Jackson stressed. “It’s not at the stage
where it would be possible or prudent to give it to the general population.”

Most of the vaccine research under way globally targets a protein aptly named
“spike” that studs the surface of the new coronavirus and lets it invade human cells.
Block that protein and people cannot get infected.
Researchers at the NIH copied the section of the virus’ genetic code that contains the
instructions for cells to create the spike protein. Moderna encased that “messenger
RNA” into a vaccine.

The idea: The body will become a mini-factory, producing some harmless spike
protein. When the immune system spots the foreign protein, it will make antibodies
to attack — and be primed to react quickly if the person later encounters the real
virus.

That’s a much faster way of producing a vaccine than the traditional approach of
growing virus in the lab and preparing shots from either killed or weakened versions
of it.

But because vaccines are given to millions of healthy people, it takes time to test
them in large enough numbers to spot an uncommon side effect, cautioned Dr.
Nelson Michael of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, which is developing
a different vaccine candidate.

“The science can go very quickly but, first, do no harm, right?” he told reporters last
week.

The Seattle research institute is part of a government network that tests all kinds of
vaccines and was chosen for the coronavirus vaccine study before COVID-19 began
spreading widely in Washington state.

Kaiser Permanente screened dozens of people, looking for those who have no
chronic health problems and are not currently sick. Researchers are not checking
whether would-be volunteers already had a mild case of COVID-19 before deciding if
they are eligible.

If some did, scientists will be able to tell by the number of antibodies in their pre-
vaccination blood test and account for that, Jackson said. Participants will be paid
$100 for each clinic visit in the study.
As social distancing grows, e-commerce companies take
initiatives for safer online shopping
Strict protocols and implementation of contingency plans to mitigate spread of the virus are
the need of the hour.

Over the past few days, the initial impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in Pakistan has
become apparent.

The government is rushing to contain the economic fallout from the pandemic, businesses
are struggling with the uncertainty and investors’ anxiety has wreaked havoc at the Pakistan
Stock Exchange.

People in general have disconnected from their daily routines to practice social distancing
following recommendations of the World Health Organisation. 

But where do ecommerce platforms stand?

Globally, countries have witnessed reduced visits to offline retail stores with consumers only
venturing out if absolutely necessary.

In countries like France, Italy or Spain, where strict quarantine has been enforced, locals are
not able to leave their houses without official certificates and are turning toward e-
commerce to meet their basic needs. In Pakistan, similar consumer behaviours toward online
shopping have been observed for the past few days.

Daraz, Pakistan's leading online marketplaces, is taking steps to ensure that customers have
access to basic commodities such as flour, lentils, soaps, sanitizers, sugar, tea, surface
cleaners, hand washes and baby formula.

The platform is also taking measures to ensure minimal instances of price hikes and has
promised to take steps to prevent marketplace sellers from taking unfair advantage of the
situation while making sure all sellers are provided support to keep their businesses running
during this time of crisis.

 Additionally, Daraz is making sure that employees and delivery agents adhere to the
strictprotective measures recommended by the World Health Organization.

Ensuring the health and well-being of its entire community - delivery agents, customers,
sellers and users around Pakistan - is the platform’s prime concern.

All employees and delivery agents adhere to the strict protective measures recommended by
the World Health Organization. Work-from-home has become the norm for most employees.
At Daraz’ warehouses, hubs and offices, colleagues have been told to refrain from physical
contact. The protocol is simple: maintain as much distance as possible from each other at all
times and wash hands frequently and thoroughly. Furthermore, temperature of all employees
at the warehouse and all members of the logistics team is checked several times in a day.

“It is our primary responsibility right now to ensure that our employees, delivery agents and
customers remain safe. We anticipate an uptick in demand and have taken steps to ensure
that we are equipped to serve the needs of our customers. At the same time, it is our social
responsibility to help prevent the spread of the virus and therefore, the strictest standards of
hygiene are being enforced at our facilities,” said Ahmed Tanveer, COO Daraz Pakistan.  

DEX Heroes - delivery agents - have been instructed to wear masks and gloves at all times.
While there has been no scientific evidence that packages carry the virus according to the
World Health Organization, DEX Heroes have been instructed to take precautionary
measures and disinfect the package at customer’s doorstep. 

While the WHO has also stated that there is no evidence that banknotes transmit the virus,
Daraz is encouraging all customers to use digital payment options - such as bank cards and
e-wallets - when shopping on the platform. With cashless transactions, users are encouraged
to receive orders with minimal physical contact as riders have been instructed to place
parcels on the doorstep so recipients can pick them up from a distance.

As the country moves towards social distancing, Daraz feels that e-commerce platforms have
a greater responsibility to carry. Strict protocols and implementation of contingency plans to
mitigate spread of the virus are the need of the hour.

This content is a paid advertisement by Daraz and is not associated with or necessarily
reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.
PU team develops ‘diagnostic kit’ for low-cost virus tests

LAHORE: A team of Punjab University (PU) scientists headed by Centre

of Excellence in Molecular Biology’s (CEMB) Prof Dr Muhammad Idrees
has developed a low-cost diagnostic kit to test suspected coronavirus
patients.

Talking to the media, Prof Idrees, a renowned virologist and former vice chancellor
of University of Hazara, said development of a testing kit was not a big job for a
scientist and now the government would be able to get diagnostic kits from its own
department. The kit would enable each test to cost $5 or Rs800 only, he added.

He said the laboratory testing coronavirus suspects should match BSL-3 standard so
that the lab staff and others were not affected and spread of the virus could be
controlled. On availability of some basic components, the team could develop
thousands of kits within a week for the government, he claimed.

Prof Idress said that they started working on the kit in January and were able to
make it at much cheaper costs. The kit was initially used to check for COVID-19 at
the university. It used real time PCR-based method to detect infection and cost $5,
much cheaper than the one announced by National University of Science and
Technology at almost $20.

Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Niaz Ahmad said that the CEMB would conduct free tests
for coronavirus so that relief could be given to the people.

ONLINE CLASSES: VC Prof Ahmad has instructed officials concerned to make

necessary arrangements for holding online classes from the next week. He said that
since the country was battling the menace of coronavirus, education of the graduates
should not be compromised and alternate ways developed to deliver lectures to
students.
IMF to mobilise $1tr to fight coronavirus

WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on

Monday it’s ready to use its $1 trillion lending capacity to help countries
struggling with the humanitarian and economic impact of the novel
coronavirus (COVID-19).

On Sunday, the US Federal Reserve offered a massive monetary stimulus to

encourage economic growth, by slashing interest rates to zero. It also launched a
$700 billion quantitative easing programme to shelter the economy from the effects
of the virus.

“The IMF stands ready to mobilise its $1 trillion lending capacity to help our
membership,” IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said in a statement. “As
a first line of defence, the Fund can deploy its flexible and rapid-disbursing
emergency response toolkit to help countries with urgent balance-of-payment
needs.”

The Fund, she said, could provide up to $50bn to emerging and developing
economies and up to $10bn to its low-income members through “our concessional
financing facilities, which carry zero interest rates”.

The IMF already has 40 ongoing arrangements — both disbursing and precautionary
— with combined commitments of about $200bn.

“In many cases, these arrangements can provide another vehicle for the rapid
disbursement of crisis financing. We also have received interest from about 20
countries and will be following up with them in the coming days,” Ms Georgieva
said.

The IMF chief said the Fund’s Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT)
could help the poorest countries with immediate debt relief, which will free up vital
resources for health spending, containment, and mitigation.

Britain recently pledged $195 million to the Trust, increasing CCRT’s fund to about
$400m, which is available for potential debt relief.

“Our aim, with the help of other donors, is to boost it to $1bn,” Ms Georgieva said,
adding that this would allow the IMF can serve its 189 member countries and
demonstrate the value of international cooperation.

“Because, in the end, our answers to this crisis will not come from one method, one
region, or one country in isolation,” she wrote. “Only through sharing, coordination,
and cooperation will we be able to stabilise the global economy and return it to full
health.”
In the statement, posted on the IMF website, Ms Georgieva argued that “while
quarantining and social distancing is the right prescription to combat COVID-19’s
public health impact, the exact opposite is needed when it comes to securing the
global economy.”

Steps planned to mitigate virus’s impact on economy

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday held extensive

consultations with members of his cabinet and senior government
officials about the government’s strategy to fight novel coronavirus and
its negative impact on the country’s economy.

In separate meetings, one of which was also attended by the four chief ministers
through video link, some important decisions were taken. PM Khan issued directives
for taking effective measures to stop the spread of the virus in the country.

In the meeting with his economic team, Mr Khan directed it to keep close liaison
with the World Bank and other international agencies to get some monetary
assistance if required to mitigate the impact of coronavirus on the country’s
economy.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar,
Minister for National Food Security Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Adviser to the PM
on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Commerce Adviser Abdul Razak
Dawood, Special Assistant to the PM on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, federal
secretaries and senior officials.

PM holds extensive consultations with economic team, chief

ministers and senior officials about awareness campaign
PM Khan directed Mr Azhar to engage the World Bank and other international
institutions so that any difficult financial situation could be tackled.

He said ensuring uninterrupted economic activities and jobs’ protection were

topmost priorities of the government. He said the government was taking all
measures to protect the economy from the negative impact of coronavirus.

The prime minister was briefed on the impact of coronavirus on the global economy
and on the state of the Pakistan’s economy.

It was decided to set up an inter-ministerial committee headed by the finance

adviser to keep a vigil on the country’s economy on a daily basis and to suggest
advance steps in this regard.
He directed the economic team to prepare a comprehensive policy for providing
relief to the common man keeping in view the emergence of any difficult situation
and urged it to ensure availability of essential items in abundance.

PM Khan emphasised that any complaint about hoarding and profiteering would not
be tolerated, and in case of such a complaint strict action would be taken against
hoarders.

During the meeting with the chief ministers, PM Khan stressed the need for
launching awareness campaigns regarding preventive measures to control the
spread of coronavirus in the country.

In this connection, the prime minister said, he would soon address the nation.

“Being a nation we don’t have to be scared of coronavirus, but we should fight it,” he
said.

All the chief ministers presented some proposals in the meeting which was also
attended by Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri, Interior Minister Ejaz
Shah, Dr Hafeez Shaikh, Special Assistant to the PM on Health Dr Zafar Mirza,
SAPM on Information Dr Awan, SAMP on Overseas Pakistanis Zulifikar Abbas
Bukhari and SAPM Dr Moeed Pirzada.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has decided to run a well-

coordinated nationwide awareness campaign about coronavirus on the special
instructions of the prime minister.

PTI chief organiser Saifullah Khan Nyazee issued directives to all PTI regional
presidents in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Sindh, Balochistan, Gilgit-
Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to launch an effective
awareness campaign about coronavirus.

According to a press statement issued by the PTI central media department, he said
the campaign would be launched under a well-thought-out plan to prepare people as
how to tackle with the chronic disease.

The PTI chief organiser said under the campaign, people would be educated
pertaining to the modern preventive measures against coronavirus.

He said people should follow necessary preventive measures.

He said PTI office-bearers and workers would educate people about the virus and
inform them about modern techniques of cleanliness and hygiene to counter the
menace.
Pollution may increase mortality from coronavirus, say experts

Air pollution from petrol and diesel vehicles is likely to increase

mortality from the novel coronavirus in cities, say public health experts.

The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) on Monday warned that dirty air in
urban areas that causes hypertension, diabetes and other respiratory illness could
lead to a higher overall death toll from the virus currently sweeping the world.

Emissions from petrol and diesel engines were still at “dangerous” levels that could
imperil the most vulnerable during this and future pandemics, said the European
Respiratory Society (EPS), which is a member of the EPHA.

“Patients with chronic lung and heart conditions caused or worsened by long-term
exposure to air pollution are less able to fight off lung infections and more likely to
die,” EPS member Sara De Matteis said.

“This is likely also the case for COVID-19,” added de Matteis, who is also an
associate professor in occupational and environmental medicine at Italy’s Cagliari
University.

One study claims air pollution shortens lives worldwide by

nearly three years on average
The virus has so far infected more than 168,000 people and killed over 6,500
worldwide.

Several European nations have implemented unprecedented measures to prevent

the spread of the disease and allow health systems to treat patients.

While there is currently no proven link between COVID-19 mortality and air
pollution, one peer-reviewed study into the 2003 SARS outbreak showed that
patients in regions with moderate air pollution levels were 84 per cent more likely to
die than those in regions with low air pollution.

COVID-19 is similar to SARS and can cause respiratory failure in severe cases.

Mortality data for COVID-19 is incomplete, but preliminary numbers show the
majority of patients who die are elderly or have pre-existing chronic conditions such
as heart or lung disease.

According to the European Environment Agency, air pollution leads to around

400,000 early deaths across the continent annually, despite European Union air
quality directives.
One COVID-19 hotspot, northern Italy, has particularly high levels of PM10 —
microscopic particles of pollution due largely to road traffic.

The number of fatalities in Italy shot up by 368 to 1,809 on Sunday — more than
half of all the cases recorded outside China.

Clean up the streets

A study published last week in the journal Cardiovascular Research said that air
pollution shortens lives worldwide by nearly three years on average, and leads to 8.8
million premature deaths annually.