News reports that the Punjab police force is “ill-equipped” and therefore runs the risk of contracting the coronavirus in high numbers are cause for the gravest concern for a number of very obvious reasons. One, they are no doubt the front-line soldiers in this war against the virus; along with our legions of doctors of course. They stand on the streets to keep people from mingling and subsequently spreading the disease; which needless to say always puts them in the line of fire as well. Even when the ordinary citizen is being irresponsible, it is the police force that must be that much more responsible and risk its own wellbeing to protect everybody else. To put it needlessly in trouble is a text-book case of criminal neglect.
Two, the average policeman doing his duty also goes home to his family at the end of the day. It is bad enough that most people in the force have to expose themselves to constant risk of contracting the virus as part of their job. But it’s a lot more severe when they can get infected and then transmit the virus to their families as well; just because the Punjab government could give the force only five percent of the demanded personal protective equipment (PPE).
And three, since every government must always factor in the absolute worst case scenario in all circumstances, not the least when faced with an unprecedented, out-of-control existential crisis, the Punjab government must have considered what it would do should a large number of the police force catch the virus and law enforcement becomes problematic. Let there be no mistake, if the police force is not protected, it will not be able to protect the people in turn. And, in that case, there is just no way that this fight can be won. Doctors, apparently, are expressing similar concerns. This is unacceptable. Everybody knows that the government has its plate full. But it is unclear how Chief Minister Usman Buzdar expects his province to lead the global fight against the pandemic when his front-line warriors are compromised in this manner. The government must very urgently take note of these reports and do everything in its power to provide the best possible protection to doctors and policemen. Then only can other parts of the war plan be given adequate attention. Hopefully there will be no cause for such concern going forward. *