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ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been defeated by the country’s powerful military once again, this time because of his government’s inadequate steps and his poor response to stem the coronavirus outbreak in the country, even when the cases increased to over 12,500.
In his speech to the nation on March 22, Khan explained the reasons for not imposing a lockout across the country, claiming that millions would lose their jobs and affect families, who are below the poverty line, fighting for find enough food to eat. However, less than 24 hours later, the Pakistani army spokesman, Major General Babar Iftikhar, announced the implementation of the blockade in the country with a population of more than 200 million, contradicting the statements made by Imran Khan.
When the closure was imposed, the army deployed troops across Pakistan and is orchestrating the COVID-19 response through the Central National Committee, an agency created to coordinate policy between national and provincial governments. “The government left a large gap in his handling of the coronavirus. The military has tried to fill that gap, there was no other option, “Financial Times quoted an unidentified retired general as saying.
The virus crisis in Pakistan has once again cleared things up for who is making the decisions – the military, widely believed to bring Imran Khan to power in 2018.
The military has seized on the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to demonstrate competence in contrast to Imran Khan, who was mocked after urging the youth to come forward and join Corona Relief Tigers Force, a voluntary body to deliver “jihad” against the virus. .
According to analysts, the military’s capture of the coronavirus response marks yet another political failure for Imran Khan in the eyes of the generals, according to the Financial Times report.
The 67-year-old cricket player-turned-politician has repeatedly failed to gain international traction on the Kashmir issue and has struggled to convince the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to have his country removed from the ‘gray list’ by terrorist funds.
In times of emergency, one has to make clear decisions and make them. You cannot hesitate. Everyone is advising a strong blockade. If the prime minister does not show that he is decisive, someone else will, “said Nafisa Shah, a member of Parliament from the opposition Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
Even after the blockade was imposed, Imran Khan continued to question the need for its implementation, raising doubts about the country’s response to addressing the virus, as cases continue to rise. This occurs even when such drastic measures exist in many countries of the world, including neighboring India.
According to The Dawn, the country has 12,657 confirmed cases of COVID-19, which includes 2,755 recoveries and 265 deaths. Punjab has the highest number of cases, 5,326, followed by 4,232 in Sindh.
However, experts suggest that the actual numbers could be higher given the low test rates and inadequate supply of test kits.
Doctors and nurses across the country have staged protests over the lack of personal protective equipment as increasing numbers of health workers hire COVID-19.
“Due to a lack of resources, there is chaos between doctors and health workers. They know that people are dying, they know the severity of the disease and they have to work without PPE,” Shoaib Hasan Tarar, a doctor who works at Rawalpindi was quoted as saying.
As the coronavirus crisis continues to devastate Pakistan, the country’s overwhelming health infrastructure has affected its economy, which is already reeling. The IMF said that GDP will drop 1.5 percent in 2020. The liquidity-struggling nation will be the first major emerging economy to request a G-20 initiative to seek debt relief, according to the Financial Times.
In early March, Pakistan experienced an increase in coronavirus cases, when infected pilgrims and workers crossed the border from Qom, a religious city in Iran, which is an access point. Pakistan’s limited resources were exposed when quarantined pilgrims agitated against unsanitary conditions in Taftan camp on the Pakistan-Iran border, where five people lived in a tent without access to toilets.
While the blockade is in place, authorities have confronted hardline clerics who have challenged the terms of social estrangement and have minimized the threat of the virus. During weekly Friday prayers, the faithful violate the restrictions by meeting in various mosques.
Last week, Islamabad signed an agreement allowing mosques to remain open for Ramzan. It was stipulated that people must follow 20 rules, including keeping a distance of six feet from each other.
“There is little consistency in terms of how the blockade is being addressed. The coronavirus has shown the disconnect between the national government, regional governments and the military. Imran Khan has lagged behind as a cheerleader for keeping Pakistan’s morale high. I think that People are beginning to ask, “How long is it going to last?” said Sajjan Gohel, a South Asian expert and visiting professor at the London School of Economics.
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In his speech to the nation on March 22, Khan explained the reasons for not imposing a lockout across the country, claiming that millions would lose their jobs and affect families, who are below the poverty line, fighting for find enough food to eat. However, less than 24 hours later, the Pakistani army spokesman, Major General Babar Iftikhar, announced the implementation of the blockade in the country with a population of more than 200 million, contradicting the statements made by Imran Khan.
When the closure was imposed, the army deployed troops across Pakistan and is orchestrating the COVID-19 response through the Central National Committee, an agency created to coordinate policy between national and provincial governments. “The government left a large gap in his handling of the coronavirus. The military has tried to fill that gap, there was no other option, “Financial Times quoted an unidentified retired general as saying.
The virus crisis in Pakistan has once again cleared things up for who is making the decisions – the military, widely believed to bring Imran Khan to power in 2018.
The military has seized on the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to demonstrate competence in contrast to Imran Khan, who was mocked after urging the youth to come forward and join Corona Relief Tigers Force, a voluntary body to deliver “jihad” against the virus. .
According to analysts, the military’s capture of the coronavirus response marks yet another political failure for Imran Khan in the eyes of the generals, according to the Financial Times report.
The 67-year-old cricket player-turned-politician has repeatedly failed to gain international traction on the Kashmir issue and has struggled to convince the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to have his country removed from the ‘gray list’ by terrorist funds.
In times of emergency, one has to make clear decisions and make them. You cannot hesitate. Everyone is advising a strong blockade. If the prime minister does not show that he is decisive, someone else will, “said Nafisa Shah, a member of Parliament from the opposition Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
Even after the blockade was imposed, Imran Khan continued to question the need for its implementation, raising doubts about the country’s response to addressing the virus, as cases continue to rise. This occurs even when such drastic measures exist in many countries of the world, including neighboring India.
According to The Dawn, the country has 12,657 confirmed cases of COVID-19, which includes 2,755 recoveries and 265 deaths. Punjab has the highest number of cases, 5,326, followed by 4,232 in Sindh.
However, experts suggest that the actual numbers could be higher given the low test rates and inadequate supply of test kits.
Doctors and nurses across the country have staged protests over the lack of personal protective equipment as increasing numbers of health workers hire COVID-19.
“Due to a lack of resources, there is chaos between doctors and health workers. They know that people are dying, they know the severity of the disease and they have to work without PPE,” Shoaib Hasan Tarar, a doctor who works at Rawalpindi was quoted as saying.
As the coronavirus crisis continues to devastate Pakistan, the country’s overwhelming health infrastructure has affected its economy, which is already reeling. The IMF said that GDP will drop 1.5 percent in 2020. The liquidity-struggling nation will be the first major emerging economy to request a G-20 initiative to seek debt relief, according to the Financial Times.
In early March, Pakistan experienced an increase in coronavirus cases, when infected pilgrims and workers crossed the border from Qom, a religious city in Iran, which is an access point. Pakistan’s limited resources were exposed when quarantined pilgrims agitated against unsanitary conditions in Taftan camp on the Pakistan-Iran border, where five people lived in a tent without access to toilets.
While the blockade is in place, authorities have confronted hardline clerics who have challenged the terms of social estrangement and have minimized the threat of the virus. During weekly Friday prayers, the faithful violate the restrictions by meeting in various mosques.
Last week, Islamabad signed an agreement allowing mosques to remain open for Ramzan. It was stipulated that people must follow 20 rules, including keeping a distance of six feet from each other.
“There is little consistency in terms of how the blockade is being addressed. The coronavirus has shown the disconnect between the national government, regional governments and the military. Imran Khan has lagged behind as a cheerleader for keeping Pakistan’s morale high. I think that People are beginning to ask, “How long is it going to last?” said Sajjan Gohel, a South Asian expert and visiting professor at the London School of Economics.
