As the winter season sets in Europe, the world has witnessed a sharp increase in Corona positive cases in countries like France and Spain while in UK the spike is fairly visible. While some countries, such as China and Germany, have managed to bring down the number of infections, others like the United States, India, and Brazil are still struggling to control its deadly onslaught. Meanwhile, countries that flattened the curve and began relaxing restrictions are seeing a surge in infections. The WHO has categorically maintained that the coronavirus is unfolding in one big global wave with no evidence that a change in season has an effect over its spread. It has also predicted the pandemic is here to stay and will go on for a long time. In such volatile conditions, for a country like Pakistan with a frail healthcare system, a prolonged pandemic could prove to be catastrophic. But to the shocking surprise of many, it has not only miraculously flattened the curve but is keeping it under steady control. Pakistan has hit headlines as a unique success story in its fight against the deadly Corona Pandemic while the world still struggles to find ways and means to control or confront this monstrous virus. The UN, WHO Chief, former US President Bill Clinton and the diplomatic fraternity across the globe continue to laud Pakistan for its success in flattening the curve with bare minimum collateral damage. Indeed, the world is simply bewildered in utter amazement at the sharp and steady plunge in Pakistan’s covid-19 cases. Almost all health experts, policymakers, political analysts and virologists speak in unison while commending Pakistan’s efforts in its significant success against this terrifying pandemic. As Pakistan celebrates its success against Covid-19 and frees itself from the crippling shackles of the pandemic, PM IK finds himself stronger and more confident than ever before. This rare feat resulting in great triumph and its recognition worldwide could be used not only to further consolidate his hold on power but also to advance his agenda of change. There are various cogent reasons behind this miraculous success ranging from the local population’s exposure to a wide array of vaccines, to torrential monsoon rains, higher density of youth, an anonymous immunity, and a resilient population with stronger inbuilt immunity. Furthermore, genetic and environmental factors have also been discussed as potential reasons for low death rates across South Asia from the onset of the pandemic. Statistics do the real talking here. With 1,480, 1,383, and 1,271 covid-19 cases per million, as things stand, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, are respectively ranked 90, 91 and 97 in the world, roughly mid-table. Similarly, with 29, 27 and 20, deaths per million, India, Pakistan are Bangladesh, are respectively placed at 93, 98 and 103, despite India’s consistent rise in cases. Almost all health experts, policymakers, political analysts and virologists speak in unison while commending Pakistan’s efforts in its significant success against this terrifying pandemic Earlier, Pakistan decided to reopen all educational institutions in phases starting on September 15. The decision was made a month after the federal government decided to open public places like restaurants, gyms and tourist destinations. That the rate of coronavirus infections has not spiked, even after the resumption of business activities, Eid-ul-Azha and Muharram processions, is an indication that Pakistan is finally getting back to normalcy. In addition to the above factors, there are three major reasons behind Pakistan’s fight against COVID-19 becoming an acclaimed success story Firstly; Pakistan’s COVID-19 response was streamlined through a consultative mechanism between the government and the military, something that has led to cohesion and institutional harmony. Civil-military cooperation in fighting the pandemic has been manifested through the National Coordination Committee (NCC) and its operational arm, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), which include both civilian ministers and military leaders. The NCC, headed by the prime minister, is the apex decision-making body on matters related to COVID-19, and involves the military’s top brass in its deliberations on future courses of action. The workings of the NCOC have likewise testified how effectively both civil and military officials have worked together to synergize all efforts and implement the decisions made by the NCC. The NCOC is headed by Federal Minister Asad Umar and comprises several high-ranking civil and military officials. Furthermore, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), headed by a serving three-star general, has also been at the forefront of dealing with this nerve-wrecking crisis. Secondly; Pakistan’s COVID-19 counter plans were the true reflection of PM IK’s consistent policy of saving lives and livelihoods. Since the very outset, he was categorically citing Pakistan’s specific circumstances, vehemently opposed a full-scale lockdown. While the center advocated for and enforced a targeted lockdown in a bid to keep the economy afloat, the Pakistan Peoples Party-led Sindh provincial government opted for a complete lockdown in that province. However, the results were not encouraging, to say the least. Ultimately, the Sindh government had to impose a smart lockdown along the lines Islamabad had advocated. The smart lockdown approach showed its positive effects in the provinces governed by ruling party. Punjab is a perfect example. Once a visible coronavirus hotspot, the province has been able to avert a major health crisis due to the implementation of a set of smart lockdowns. With the intensity of the crisis fading noticeably, PM IK continues to showcase how determined he was to stick to his smart-lockdown policy, despite consistent criticism and resistance. Last but not the least; Pakistan’s government has been given some breathing space due to the encouraging statistics on the state of the economy. Pakistan recently recorded a current account surplus, after running a mammoth deficit for years. Additionally, the country received record remittances in the last of couple of months, giving the Prime Minister an opportunity to announce the good news on Twitter. With Pakistan expected to witness a GDP growth of 1 percent for the current fiscal year, it could be argued that the economy as a whole has not been crippled as a result of the pandemic. Economic recovery is on cards, as witnessed by bullish trends in Pakistani stock markets and an increase in business confidence. The outlook might not be ideal, but is not bad enough for the opposition to berate the government and for the latter to feel enfeebled. Moreover, Pakistan’s exports returned to their pre-COVID-19 level earlier this year. That Pakistan’s government has managed to mitigate the deleterious effects of COVID-19 on the economy is a sigh of relief for its people as well as Prime Minister. Greater or more lasting damage to the economy would have offered an ideal opportunity for the opposition to lampoon the incumbent regime in Islamabad. While Pakistan has won a few decisive battles against Covid-19 the real war is far from over. However, it is very reassuring to hear the loudest appreciation coming from the WHO Chief himself, “Pakistan deployed their infrastructure built up over many years for polio to combat COVID-19. Community health workers who have been trained to go door to door vaccinating children for polio have been utilized for surveillance, contact tracing and care,” said World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during a press conference on September, 07. He praised Pakistan, among seven countries, saying their preparation and response offered lessons for the rest of the world. The writer is a civil servant by profession, a writer by choice and a motivational speaker by passion!