Daily Times

Recently, I was turned away nicely but firmly from the entrance of a shopping mall/ supermarket as the person with me could not be let in due to SOPs; him being a senior citizen. I didn’t mind as those were the rules, so we went elsewhere. In another part of the city, a pack of ladies flew in from Islamabad for a wedding party during the age of isolation and social distancing. The itinerary was fantastical; a bit of shopping, a wedding party and a private beach hut booking for a large group outing. As the ladies headed out for a week of partying, with two police escort cars no less to circumvent being stopped at the regular checkpoints at the beach, they possibly felt they were immune to getting or spreading the virus. As somebody on my social media commented sarcastically on the scenario: which of these persons would be wearing masks at the beach or the wedding? This is just one scenario amongst hundreds that can be listed, and it begs the question: Who are the SOPs for exactly? And a follow-up to that, when are we going to officially open up – as half of the country is already outside?

People write from the confines of their homes commenting on those who are outside at market places and local bazaars, yet a certain privileged percentage of the country has certainly flouted many of the rules and have been doing so from the beginning. With smart lockdowns purported, yet rules relaxed for those who have connections – we should take time to reflect on what the actual “disease” is; the virus itself or the people who spread the virus due to reckless behavior?

Those who needed to be herded were kept in and obeyed the system. The thing is the SOPs and smart lockdowns have curbed quite a lot- but they have applied to only those who could be roped in with them. Prominent supermarkets in Karachi have allowed entry to unmasked people in line ahead of me only because they said that their husbands were in local governance. Since the domestic flights have opened up, it has been every man for himself and they have certainly travelled back and forth (for leisure) like there was no such thing as a global pandemic that existed. Yet others like us have been locked down and out for quite a long time. As experts now say that we will most likely need to live with the virus, we also see the time to travel has already arrived. Dubai has opened up for resident visa holders and Malaysia is reported to follow soon to open for tourism next month.

Even at the peak of things, when people were scared and not enough information about the pandemic was available, we knew of individuals who did exactly what they wanted and then blamed the government for it. The government is in charge of many things but not our unwillingness to cooperate nor our own lack of common sense. Despite the lack of responsibility by a certain percentage of the people, the current government has still managed to retain a success rate as far as smart lockdowns and the SOPs for COVID-19 have been concerned. Pakistan has been listed as one of the top countries who has shown a definitive success in containing the virus. Dr Palitha Mahipala, the WHO representative in Pakistan, has already praised Pakistan’s National Response Program tackling the novel Coronavirus. The government has done its level best to move at the breakneck speed to adjust every factor the global pandemic has brought about upon us. This includes everything from public service messages, information units, COVID-19 action plans, the building of isolation wards throughout the country within days to one of the most well-planned relief systems for those who would be affected by unemployment and lack of earnings. This government has kept its word to the people and done everything it possibly can to safeguard us. And now it is up to the people themselves to consider the rules of living in the new normal. My friend’s daughter said that I couldn’t hug her as there was Corona around. A 6-year-old child seems to have more common sense than adults. It seems that children have adjusted well to social distancing, perhaps the adults could give it a try.

For those celebrating the holidays, as the country is somewhat open, please do so with caution. Socialize with care. Wear a mask and, yes, do celebrate life, but celebrate with intelligence and with the right type of people. The virus might be here to stay but why get infected if one can exercise all precautions and avoid it by putting in the practices of basic etiquettes and SOPs.

We have a great chance of changing things within ourselves at this point. We have the gift of living in a country which says we are free to live and practice our belief sets as we are. One feels that there will be many better things coming to us especially for our future with great governance. One thing though, perhaps it is time that the authorities will need to clarify where we stand as far as the complete relaxation of the lockdowns and curfews is concerned.

Maybe it is that moment to carefully consider and weigh things out as to how we can officially open up.

The writer is known for her articles on socio-cultural impact