Pakistan claims COVID-19 under control amidst rising figures

Image by digital designer from Pixabay. Used under a Pixabay license (Free for commercial use No attribution required).

Image by digital designer from Pixabay. Used under a Pixabay license (Free for commercial use No attribution required).

Check out Global Voices’ special coverage of the global impact of COVID-19.

Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has affected thousands of lives and is set to badly affect the global economy. According to Worldometer, as of March 18, 208,457 people have been diagnosed with 8,312 deaths globally. So far, Pakistan has reported 297 cases at the time of writing of the post. People on social media are wondering if measures taken by the Pakistani Government are adequate and whether Pakistan is equipped to face the challenge of screening and isolating infected people in order to safeguard the rest of the population.

Current government measures:

Southeastern Sindh province leads the country with 208 confirmed cases.

The first two cases of coronavirus from Sindh province were reported on 26 February after which the Chief Minister of Sindh state Murad Ali Shah took immediate steps to check passengers at the airport and set up quarantine centres in the city of Taftan (near the border of Iran and Afghanistan) for Pakistani pilgrims returning from Iran after coronavirus cases soared in Iran. Out of the 208 cases in Sindh, 154 are pilgrims quarantined in the city of Sukkur after returning from Iran.

He also closed all educational institutions in the province until May 30 as well as banned all public gatherings including weddings, religious and sports events. Baluchistan also shut down its schools. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government followed suit.

After the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic, Prime Minister Imran Khan urged everyone to “raise awareness among the masses so they can take appropriate precautions to protect themselves from the virus.”

Amidst concerns about the cost of screening, the government said that coronavirus test kits would be available for free selected hospitals all over the country and a protocol has been set to get checked for coronavirus. As for face masks, most pharmacies do not have masks in stock with some that do selling at high prices.

The government has created a ‘National COVID-19 Command and Control Centre’ which started by carrying out disinfection operations at Lahore airport:

The Facebook page for the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Islamabad is posting videos about how people can protect themselves from the virus.

Pakistan has made it compulsory for passengers arriving in Pakistan from international destinations to provide coronavirus test results prior to boarding their flights.

Section 144 has been imposed across Pakistan for one month from March 15, 2020. Section 144 bars people from taking part in activities for a given time period including congregation by four or more people. However, a large number of people are still going to offices as no work from home orders are in place.

Is Pakistan equipped to deal with the epidemic?

The government claimed that “it has taken adequate measures to ensure that the disease does not spread further.”

However, Tahir Mehdi, a journalist shared his experience on social media:

I have flu for last five days [..] so I called 1166 and they asked me to contact the Corona Center at Services Hospital. I went there this morning. A glass room with masked staff speaking through a microphone, she asked a few questions and handed a printed parchee (paper) and asked me to go to Corona ward for a screening test. The ward guys shrugged and said they have no such thing so go back to the reception girl. [..] I waited. She came back to tell me very frankly “we can't do a thing”. [..] The hospital has no Corona test facility of its own. None, at all.

Since the virus has no cure per se, the only thing a health facility can do is to screen and isolate infected persons and the only Center in Punjab's capital is unable to do that.

There were ‘Ghabrana nahee’ (Don't worry) posters all over the hospital though.

There are also concerns that there are not enough numbers of testing kits available.

Even though various steps have been taken by the Pakistan government to control the virus, health experts in Pakistan shared their concerns about the virus and asked people to take personal measures to ensure their safety. Due to COVID-19, the Pakistan stock market has seen a downfall like all other nations. Even the National Assembly of Pakistan has canceled all its proceedings until further notice.

#CoronaVirusPakistan

The hashtag #CoronaVirusPakistan is trending on Twitter to mixed reactions. Many people joked about the situation while some feared the worse. Mothers posted questions about how to keep kids busy during the holidays while students were asked to study online. Others tried to relate it to the wrath of God, yet others are linking it with the lockdown in Kashmir. And people are not taking the needed precautions especially in Sindh province where the number of Coronavirus patients is the highest. Sheema Ghani posted images on Facebook showing a large crowd in a train station in Karachi.

A large number of people are waiting at the main railway station at Karachi. Image by Sheema Ghani, used with permission

A large number of people are waiting at the main railway station at Karachi. Image by Sheema Ghani, used with permission

Last week more than 250,000 pilgrims gathered in Raiwind near Lahore for an annual Tablighi Ijtema.

People have demanded the government shut down everything except the emergency services to prevent the virus from spreading:

For now, people are looking to the government to implement more concrete measures to stop the spread of Covid-19 in Pakistan as the numbers are predicted to rise sharply if there is no effective intervention.

1 comment

  • samir sardana

    COVID is the time for Pakistan to make its Export Strategy

    The export strategy of Pakistan,should be based on export of water,labour, earth,defense and LDC benefits.Any other model will fail,as competitive nations, with deep pockets,will offer financial,fiscal and asset subsidies,to offset any advantage, that Pakistan,has w.r.t labour cost and geography (besides excellent logistics,and regulatory structures). dindooohindoo

    Setting up manufacturing capacities,to cater to the local Pakistani market and exporting the surplus,is not viable,as Pakistan does not have economies of scale (even to realise the geometric impact,of lower labour costs).Planning capacities on that model,leads to the DISASTER of the Indian NPAs,of 350-400 Billion USD,with exports dead,and the inability of Indians,to compete,with the PRC.

    Export of Water – is export of animal proteins,exotic fruits and vegetables and agri to the GCC,EU and other parts of the world.Water from the skies or the earth,by rarefaction or condensation or precipitation,in the form of hail,rain or snow,is purely a function of geography,in a time span of a few decades.Over a period of 3-4000 years,some disasters can occur,like the disappearance of Saraswati (in Pakistan) or the diversion of rivers etc.

    Thus,water captures the fertility and agro-ecoonomic opportunities and variety of Pakistani soil,and also,the geo-strategic location of Pakistan (w.r.t access to GCC,Ports,Cheapest Point of Purchase for UN/FAO/WHO procurements for Afghanistan etc.)

    In Pakistan,Water is a Perpetual Resource,UNLIKE in India.In addition,many nations in the EU allow a COO certificate linked to a Geography,in that exporting nation, to give ADDITIONAL DUTY/SUBSIDY AND QUOTA BENEFITS. These are agriculture and agri-derivatives,like wine.Pakistan is the prime candidate, for the same,for exotic fruits etc., which have valuable and critical,downstream applications,in the EU.

    Export of Earth – is export of minerals,which ALSO,includes industries like Cement (which is export of lime,limestone and coal).Once the Coal Fields of Pakistan,are tapped,then it would include sale of power,as the cheapest way to transport power,is at the speed of light,via a grid – especially,when the Grid is set up by other nations.

    Pakistani Mineral Resources are almost perpetual,and in areas with very low density of population and ample water.Thus the scope for TOLERATING pollution is higher – and so,like in Nuke Power – if some latitude is granted w.r.t pollution,wastes,effluents,safety and environment – mining costs can crash exponentially.For a Perpetual reserve,with an exchange rate of Rs 160/USD,it is akin to burying US Dollars, 1000 meters in the earth,and starving on top of the earth.For a nation,with finite reserves (in the short term),there is an opportunity cost,of exports – in terms of the fact that,in 2023 (say),prices of several ores might be 2-5 times,current rates – and so,they can raise USD,from bankers, liening the mining reserves.

    Export of Defense – In conjunction with the PRC and the PLA/PLN.PLAF,Pakistan can perfect the technique of customising and innovating Chinese Defense Technology,for their use,and exporting lower technologies or the excess capacities to Africa,Central Asia,LATAM,South America and the Middle East (excluding the quasi Nato nations).With Chines=se Financial Aid, extensive credits can be given.There are many nations in the world,which the PRC would NOT like to make defense exports to.

    Export of Labour – Pakistan needs to be practical,to use low cost manufacturing technologies,which are labour intensive and require moderate power consumption, and some pollutive impact.Low Capital Costs,will lower the Operating and Financial Risk,and the skilled but CHEAPER labour cost,can be exported OUT.There would be several such technologies,several products and several markets.

    LDC – Lastly,Pakistan has to maximise the LDC benefits,using Chinese Capital and SEZs – with an appropriate mix of Chinese Labour and Domestic Input Costs,in the SEZ units, so that the COO is Pakistan,and the LDC benefits are availed of.

    SEZs – The SEZ policy of Pakistan has to be synthesised with the LDC gains,to ensure that the costs to the SEZ,are the lowest among all LDCs in the world. However,the Costs are not to be evaluated,as the Nominal Costs.So the land lease and other charges,payable by the SEZ to the Pakistani State, might not be the lowest – but on a NET differential Mode,w.r.t the Reduction in Logistics costs, to the Pakistani SEZ,it should be the LOWEST in the world. Once that is done, then as a thumb rule, to keep the laws simple, FREE EXIM needs to allowed and all Inputs (including Power etc.) should be sourcable,w/o caveats.So a SEZ should be able to set up a IPP/CPP/RPP,anywhere in Pakistan,with any fuel,with nil duty and taxes and the lowest wheeling and banking charges.

    Corporate Tax holidays should start AT THE CHOICE of the Investor,FROM THE YEAR after which the Brought forward losses,of the SEZ are exhausted.And the Tax holiday should be co-terminus,with that of the longest holiday,by any LDC. The period of limitation,for the Choice of initiating the holiday period,should be upto 5 years,from commercial operations.

    Basically,even if Pakistan waives the Wheeling charges etc.,it does not matter,as the aim is to bring in the ANCHOR and other Investors in the SEZ. Thereafter,the principles of Self Preservation by the SEZs,and its units,will ensure that,the State will find ingenious ways to earn revenue – provided that,1st the ANCHOR comes in,and then, that the SEZ and the SEZ units,make money !

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