Daily Times

As the world is confronted with fighting the coronavirus pandemic, Pakistanis living in several countries have volunteered to make valuable contributions, to help fight the virus as the front line workers to save precious lives. According to Al Jazeera dated 9 April 2020, Pakistani taxi drivers in Barcelona were also fighting the COVD-19 in Spain as front line workers without caring for themselves.

The initiative started at the beginning of Spain’s lockdown, in mid-March, as six Pakistani taxi drivers led by Shahbaz Ahmed discussed how medical workers, after long hours of work in the service of humanity, would be able to return at night to their homes, as they were supposed to use the public transport. Hence, the Pakistani drivers volunteered their services to provide a free ride to the medical workers back home from hospitals at night, not caring about their own lives. Since then, their effort has expanded to about 200 volunteers, including some drivers from other nationalities,

According to Al Jazeera, in addition to the taxi driver initiative, the local Pakistani community in Barcelona has also stepped in to help. Grocery store owners have converted industrial warehouses into spaces taxi drivers can use to organise food parcel distribution to the homeless and families in need. Hundreds of masks and robes have been provided to the medical workers by the Pakistani community.

According to the reports of the News and the Nation the work of following expatriate Pakistanis in fighting the coronavirus in various countries, as front line workers are commendable. Dr Usman, a Pakistani doctor gallantly volunteered to treat coronavirus patients. He worked tirelessly along with Chinese doctors to serve humanity and was termed as a hero by the Chinese media.

By taking many initiatives and risks in fighting the virus in various countries, the expatriate Pakistanis have greatly raised the international image of Pakistan as a country having high and enlightened human values

Similarly, Dr Habib Zaidi, a 76-year-old Pakistani general physician in Essex, United Kingdom, went to the extent of sacrificing his life in the service of humanity. He worked as a GP in Leigh-on-Sea for more than 45 years, he contracted coronavirus while gallantly treating patients disregarding the peril to his own life.

Pakistani-American community has also risen to the challenge of fighting the coronavirus boldly. They are fighting as a front line force in protecting the lives of its compatriots as well as non-Pakistanis in the US. The community is conscientiously engaged in relief activities in the New York City, where the highest number of fatalities has occurred.

The American Pakistani Advocacy Group (APAG) was the first South Asian organization in the US which launched a major initiative to deliver rations and other essential items at the doorsteps of the needy people in various cities of the US. Another initiative was meant to offer free lunch to those Americans who were at the forefront in the fight against the coronavirus.

The Pakistani businessmen, working in the US, are also contributing immensely to the cause of combating COVID-19. Pervaiz Riaz, a businessman from the US, gave free disinfection services to the doctors, nurses and other front line fighters. Mazhar Chughtai, an entrepreneur by profession, in collaboration with the US-based Pakistani organizations distributed food among thousands of families.

Moviz Saddique from Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) distributed food and safety kits in 145 cities of the US. Hundreds of volunteers are currently working across the US which also includes a large number of Pakistani women. The US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells has also lauded the Pakistani Americans, for serving the communities in the US and Pakistan.

In addition to helping fight the coronavirus in other countries, the Pakistani diaspora in the Western and some other countries, have also donated heavy amounts of funds in the Prime Minister’s COVID-19 Relief Fund Account, and the Singapore diaspora, in coordination with the Pakistani High Commission, has shipped thousands of protective kits, goggles and face masks to the Pakistani government. This assistance would definitely help in fighting the virus and to assist the poor labour class who have lost their jobs due to the lockdown.

By making the above discussed laudable contributions in fighting the COVID-19 in different Western and Asian countries, the Pakistani community serving and residing abroad has displayed a remarkable sense of courage and a spirit of sacrifice in the service of the humanity in difficult and testing times, irrespective of any race, religion or nationality. By taking many initiatives and risks in fighting the virus in various countries, the expatriate Pakistanis have greatly raised the international image of Pakistan as a country having high and enlightened human values.

Moreover, by donating lots of funds in the Prime Ministers’ COVID-19 Relief Fund, the expatriate Pakistanis have also proved that they love Pakistan, as a country of their origin, and its people to the core of their heart. And, that they will always come forward to sacrifice their everything to serve their country and its people at the time of need. Hence, expatriate Pakistanis’ above discussed contributions need to be commended at all levels in Pakistan.

[The writer is a former Consultant and Research Fellow of Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), and Senior Research Fellow of Strategic Vision Institute (SVI), Islamabad]