Daily Times

Irrespective of sources of suggestions to improve and go for most effective ways of managing coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19 outbreak) the executive branch of the government should be prepared to act promptly to consider measures which are ‘doable’ and also within the limited resources that Pakistan is making best use of. There should be clear focus on saving human lives and keeping a balance so that the economy continues to support the population for all their daily needs. The poor need special attention, that means additional financial allocations and need to manage finances effectively and efficiently.

Only proactive approaches and innovative solutions to complex problems and issues can be expected to help the government to overcome the current crisis. Ideas and suggestions from various quarters are a great resource for the executive branch to perform their best. Prime Minister, Imran Khan has called for global initiative on debt relief in the wake of coronavirus pandemic. He said that COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented health and economic challenges. A global pandemic cannot be contained without strong, coordinated and well planned global response. Imran Khan invited the UN Secretary General to work with him in advancing the objectives of a coordinated response.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has proposed that developing countries be provided with fiscal space and financial relief through enhanced debt relief and restructuring. He highlighted that his government has provided an eight billion US Dollar stimulus package to help the most vulnerable people of Pakistan. COVID-19 threat has to be taken seriously. All out help and efforts are required to meet the challenge to prevent and contain the spread of virus. People have to look at their behaviors and attitude if a meaningful outcome of the effort of the government and the people themselves is our desire and earnest need and wish. Precaution is essential. Since in the case of coronavirus there us no remedy yet, prevention is the only option people have to adopt and adopt for the sake of themselves and Pakistan that defines us and protects us.

Check on population growth means we desire to improve our level of living and socio-economic status

Rather than complaining about having to spend time indoors, people should engage in constructive thinking about making Pakistan progressive and prosperous. This we can do by learning from the disastrous situations such as COVID-19 pandemic, wars and uncertainties and threats people have confronted in the human history, especially scenarios desiring and after World War II and the consequences that continue to impact people even today. Think, are we any wiser to avoid making blunders in the future? What do we have to learn from the coronavirus pandemic? Could we put this pandemic to a final end like we have been successful in controlling many epidemics before? Unlearning things is more important than learning, especially important is to unlearn behaviors and attitudes that are not helpful in anyway today.

The shift in policy outcomes for countries worst effected by COVID-19 is uncertain as of now; but is there is anything certain about wars, pandemics and other disasters, it is that considerable human suffering caused by such events leaves a permanent mark on human psyche. It is that psyche that shapes the economic and political discourse of the country in the years to come. It is no wonder that Pakistan’s domestic and foreign policy paradigm has always been tainted with its traumatic separation in 1947. The current world order has also been defined by the most tragic events in human history: World War II. All multilateral organizations, international charters, systems, treaties and code of conduct, have mostly been derived through the distilled wisdom gained during this agonizing time period. Added to all this is the rude awakening of the fact that our country has never been successful in harnessing its unsustainable population growth rate. Check on population growth means we desire to improve our level of living and socio-economic status. Title of my own thesis was “Birth Rate in Relation to Socio-economic Status.” Higher the socio-economic status, lower the birth rate. Education helped better than Family Planning Program.

We need to give top priority to education and health is the desired aim to to build institutions and the character building of the nation. Once we have achieved sustainable agricultural and socio-economic growth, we can build all the infrastructure for a meaningful and well defined life determining career planning and excellence in professions and opportunities for career advancement in government as well as the private services and industrial sectors. Rise and fall are a ‘cycle’ that continues to function sometimes slow, sometimes fast. We need to study why nationals fail and what are factors of success in times of war and peace.

Amidst crises like coronavirus, what governments internationally need is help like that was provided under Marshall Plan after the end or World War II. Similar projects can help developing countries now to counter the impact of coronavirus and also help us humans, not to create conditions that have created a ground for coronavirus.

Multi-billionaire Gates, 64 – who donated $85 million to combat the virus, believes that despite the chaos, there is a spiritual purpose behind everything that happens, whether that is what we perceive as being good or being bad. In an open letter entitles “What is the Corona/COVID-19 Virus Really Teaching us?” he wrote “A SPIRTUAL PURPOSE”

“As I mediate upon this, I want to share with you what I feel the corona/COVID-19 virus is really doing to us.

It is reminding us of how precious our health is and how we have moved to neglect it through eating nutrient poor manufactures food and drinking water that is contaminated with chemicals upon chemicals.

If we don’t look after our health, we will of course, get sick.

It is reminding us of the shortness of life and of what is most important for us to do, which is to help each other, especially those who are old or sick.

Our purpose is not to buy toilet rolls.

Our true work is to look after each other and to be of benefit to one another.

It is reminding us of how important our family and home life is and how much we have neglected this.

It is forcing us back into our houses so we can rebuild them into homes and strengthen our family unit.

Most importantly, it reminds us to keep our egos in check.”

In summary, we need to attend to ourselves, our families, neighborhood and society that extends to comity of nations, so interdependent and bound by love of mankind and human values. We are all equal, regardless of our culture, religion, occupation, financial situation or how famous we are. This disease treats us all equally.

The writer is former Director National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) Government of Pakistan, a political analyst, a public policy expert, and a published author