- With a ‘state priest’ in tow
In the age of the Coronavirus pandemic, we are living in a state of virtual reality. What is virtual reality? According to its dictionary definition it is: ‘living in a state of an artificial environment that is created with software and presented to the user in such a way that the user suspends belief and accepts it as real.’
In Pakistan of today an almost surreal narrative is being deliberately created to promote half-truths and, in some cases, plain lies. For example, while those affected by Covid-19 and resultant deaths are multiplying, the state is giving the impression of everything being under control.
Both the government and the opposition are playing politics, pretending to be trying to be on the same page. It will be fair to say that Nero is playing the fiddle while Rome is burning.
The prime minister on Thursday, held a highly successful fundraising telethon in the presence of the national media collecting Rs 550 million rupees in the process. The enigmatic Maulana Tariq Jamil who has now practically assumed the mantle of a ‘sarkari maulvi’ (state priest) almost at the very end of the telethon made a regal entrance.
Khan’s heart has never been in imposing a proper lockdown. He simply does not believe in shutdowns. Resultantly, as one columnist put it succinctly, he is losing both lives and livelihoods.
He administered a long-winded collective prayer and as per his signature style now, weeping at the same time. Perhaps he believes that if one cries while praying, Allah is more willing to answer those prayers.
The maulana while addressing his captive audience claimed that coronavirus was the ‘curse of Allah’ on Pakistanis that cannot be cured by lockdowns, social distancing and all such measures. The only remedy according to him is collective tauba in mosques during Ramzan.
In his typical sycophantic style, the maulana could not resist the temptation to take a swipe at the media, claiming that one media owner confided in him that “we cannot sell our wares if we do not feed lies to their captive audience.” Addressing Khan directly, he claimed that there is only one honest politician in Pakistan. (Make a wild guess who?)
Maulana Tariq Jamil and many of his ilk hold the same views about the reasons behind spread of Covid-19. But they rarely get the golden opportunity expressing them in full glare of the cameras in the presence of the prime minister.
None of the media persons present despite feeling visibly uncomfortable could muster enough courage to question this blanket condemnation of the media; so much for media freedom in the country.
The maulana has since retracted his remarks about the media claiming it was a slip of tongue but stands by his misogynistic comments. He had lambasted women that the present calamity has befallen on Pakistan owing to their ‘fahashi’ (vulgarity)
On the occasion the prime minister repeated his favourite hobby horse- a smart lockdown. Only he knows what he means by it.
According to him only those areas affected by the coronavirus will be put under lockdown while the rest will remain open. It will be difficult to implement in a country where even complete lockdowns are being consistently violated by the citizenry with impunity.
Only in Sindh a complete lockdown is being attempted by the provincial government while in the rest of the country it was imposed and policed half-heartedly. The prime minister showing his benevolent side has given orders to release those who violated the shutdown.
Khan’s heart has never been in imposing a proper lockdown. He simply does not believe in shutdowns. Resultantly, as one columnist put it succinctly, he is losing both lives and livelihoods.
Somehow a false perception has been created that Allah has been kind to the inhabitants of ‘Riasat e Medina’. Hence the severity of the virus will elude the Islamic Republic.
But those who know what they are talking about claim otherwise. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that Pakistan’s coronavirus cases could balloon to 200,000+ by mid-July. Doctors from various provinces and PMA (Pakistan Medical Association) have warned about the disastrous impact of government’s approach towards combating Covid-19 pandemic.
But sadly, their enteritis has fallen not only on deaf ears but they have been accused by spokesmen of the federal government of playing politics on behalf of the Sindh chief minister. The PML-N (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz) has also adopted a benign attitude towards the lockdown lest it loses votes in its heartland.
The doctors as well as other saner elements of the country have questioned the wisdom of allowing prayers congregations in mosques during Ramzan. They contend the 20-point SOP agreed with the ulema is simply not workable.
Ironically, knives are out for the Sindh chief minister for doing the right thing at the right time. Traders are reportedly being egged upon to defy the lockdown by Sindh based PTI ministers and even by the provincial governor.
Naturally the resultant confusion and uncertainty about government policies to combat the virus is bound to manifestly increase in the coming weeks. It is a supreme irony that steps being taken in the name of saving the proverbial poor man from hunger are going to sink him into a bigger abyss rather than alleviating his miseries.
Another bone of contention between the government and the opposition is holding of the National Assembly session during the lockout. The PML-N insists that it should be held in the parliament building after taking due precautions.
The ruling party on the other hand wants to hold a virtual session through video link. The special assistant on information, Firdous Ashiq Awan- never shying away from an opportunity for point scoring- mocks Sharif that on one hand he is ignoring NAB (National Accountability Bureau) summons on the pretext that being a cancer survivor he cannot risk catching the virus from NAB headquarters in Lahore. But on the other, he is insisting on calling the National Assembly session.
The opposition can also remonstrate that if the government is allowing prayers congregations in mosques during a lockdown why not fulfil a constitutional requirement?
But the PML-N for the sake of political expediency will not make this argument. For the same reason, Rana Sanauallah has implicitly alleged that those doctors stressing that lockdown should not be eased under any circumstances are doing so on the behest of Sindh chief minister.
To resolve the conundrum over holding of the National Assembly session the Assembly’s speaker should call a meeting (again virtual) of parliamentary leaders belonging to the government and the opposition.
Unfortunately, the distinction between leadership and playing politics is being deliberately blurred. Hence the meaningless talk about smart lockdowns and virtual parliament. Hopefully Khan will not morph into a virtual prime minister.