Daily Times

The impact of the Corona viruses has brought the humankind to a standstill. Millions have been ordered to stay home, Businesses have been shut down, thousands are lying in hospitals, and millions are expected to go hungry as the crisis deepens worldwide.

More than anything, the crisis has revealed that pandemics and plagues are not a fiction anymore; and outbreaks, dieses and infections from microbes present an ultimate security threat to the humanity. Put in perspective, the last three weeks of escalation of the crisis, that has forced the decision makers globally into changing, adjusting and adopting whole new unforeseeable scenarios, is a reflation of how quickly globally structured financial systems, political institutions and security woes can become secondary or perhaps irrelevant if this continued for some months.

Europe which is at the worst hit region from the crisis so far, is certain to go into recession over the coming months. Some doomsday estimates suggest that the crisis will likely cost the globally economy $2 trillion in 2020 alone.

An impact of this scale would mean that the issue of providing security or investing into regions that are far flung, may not be a desire that populations will care for.

Islamabad needs to make sure that the issue of Kashmir doesn’t get lost in the debate of Corona virus as that will have implications on the country’s security policy

It’s amazing how quickly human brains adopt and internalize new realities when faced with a crisis at doorsteps. About four weeks ago, President Trump’s potential agreement with the Afghan Taliban was one of the top priorities in global security debates. It only took 28 days or 672 hours for the world to neglect years of work and what it could mean in the coming weeks and months. politically, Trump’s intent to present Afghanistan as a major foreign policy achievement to his voters has not only become unrelated but the entire fate of the American election hangs in the balance.

A few weeks ago, no one thought that thousands of convicts will be released from prisons because a plague could create a bigger crisis if they are kept locked up. Iran has released more than 80 thousand prisoners so far; Jails across the United States are releasing inmates hoping to prevent the further spread of the deadly disease inside close quarters. Pakistan is also considering releasing inmates in the coming weeks as situation worsens across the country.

In this regard, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir doesn’t offer an encouraging picture. Pakistan has worked hard to ensure that the entire international community understands the woes of the Kashmiris. While the world is pushing for a lockdown, it’s been more than 6 months that Kashmiris have not known anything beyond their walls. The incoming crisis in the form of Corona is only going to make the crisis worse for the valley. It’s unlikely that Modi’s government is going to release funds, send doctors, work around the clock and act proactively to ensure that the pandemic doesn’t spread in Jammu and Kashmir. If anything, expect Modi to be weakest when it comes to dealing with the corona crisis in the valley.

Complicating this issue is the reducing focus of the international community. I have not come across any news of story that talks about the potential woes of Kashmiris during the time of corona crisis. If anything, the issue is not getting any attention at all internationally. While the world gathers to deal with the corona crisis, it should be remembered that millions of Kashmiris are already facing a disturbing situation which is only going to get worse.

Last week, Pakistan’s state minister of Health raised the issue of Kashmiris dire situation at the SAARC meeting. During his address, the minister urged Modi to end the lockdown in Jammu and Kashmir which has been in place since August. “It is a matter of concern that COVID-19 has been reported from Jammu and Kashmir and in view of a health emergency, it is imperative that all lockdown in the territory must be lifted immediately.”

Islamabad needs to make sure that the issue of Kashmir doesn’t get lost in the debate of Corona virus as that will have implications on the country’s security policy. If anything, Pakistan’s efforts to share the story of Kashmiris should be augmented.

The writer is Coordinator, Research Division, The Nerve Center