(2) Covid-19 and SC order.

Byline: Jamil Amir Mirza - Hyderabad

NOW that the Supreme Court of Pakistan has come out categorically in favour of lifting the lockdown, the uncertainty about it seems to be disappearing.

From a strict lockdown to a smart lockdown, the nation has been reeling from the shocks inflicted by Covid-19 and the fumbling done by the federal and provincial governments.

Yes, thousands die daily from 'normal' causes - flu, dengue, heart and pulmonary diseases, kidney failures, cancer, and accidents, but these deaths do not mean we should ignore a given epidemic. A pandemic is a pandemic, and it has own unavoidable demands. Let more people die simply because thousands of others die from other causes daily?

President Donald Trump too referred to thousands dying every month from flu and was made fun of. He then had no choice but to impose a lockdown on his people, but the lockdown is being lifted. The same is the case with some of the European countries like Italy and Spain, which have suffered most from coronavirus.

But, it should be noted, the lockdown there was imposed successfully by the state machinery and the people - responsible, conscious of their duties as citizens and adhering to the law of the land - cooperated with the government fully.

In Pakistan, even if the federal and provincial governments were sincere in implementing the lockdown, the people were anything but cooperative. Even religious lobbies refused to cooperate because they had their own reasons. One may not agree with them, but lots of people listened to them. Thus the ban on congregational prayers was only partially successful.

The choice for Pakistan is difficult. The economy, which was in the doldrums even before the virus, has taken a massive hit and is unlikely to recover soon because of the...