- And failing to act on time
There were demands that the Prime Minister play a leading role in the campaign against the coronavirus by announcing effective policy measures that, beside improving the situation, would also revive hope and provide confidence to the anxious man in the street. Mr Imran Khan’s address however turned out to be dispiriting for many. The apocalyptic remark “I want to tell you, this virus will spread” is not supposed to lift people’s spirits. It was futile to justify the mess that turned the so-called quarantine facility at Taftan into an incubator that continues to spread the virus all over the country. One expects a leader to provide innovative solutions to challenges, making his country succeed where others have failed. One does not want a PM to merely recite the routine do’s and don’ts that are regularly being instilled into one’s ears through the media.
The Sindh government has decided to enforce a lockdown beginning from Karachi, and extended a few days later to interior Sindh. The provincial government suspects that hundreds of runaways from Taftan have fanned out into the country undetected by those responsible for looking after security. The incubation period of the disease being 14 days, those affected are likely to be discovered during the 15-day lockdown and taken for treatment. This was no doubt an unpopular decision. but this was the only way to detect those who have dodged the virus tests. Mr Khan opposed imposing the lockdown for its impact on the lives of the poor wage earners. Avoiding a timely lockdown could prove to be devastating for Punjab.
Another commendable measure announced by the Sindh government is to raise a coronavirus relief fund with seed money of Rs3 billion, collected by making provincial cabinet members and PPP MPs each donate a month’s salary. What is more, the provincial government approached the World Bank earlier and has already secured a sum of $25 million to contain the coronavirus. The federal government on the other hand is still in the process of negotiations.
By failing to take timely decisions the PTI government is likely to aggravate the common man’s suffering in the provinces ruled by it. Punjab, where its position is already risky, could turn out to be its Waterloo.
