Civil defence force.

VOUNTEER work is not new to Pakistanis. We have seen people of all age groups stepping up in times of natural disasters and helping their countrymen without any expectation of reward or recognition. It was, therefore, no surprise to see many individuals and groups reaching out to those hit hard by the shuttered economy in the wake of the countrywide lockdown enforced to slow down the spread of Covid-19. As part of this effort, thousands of young men and women have joined the Corona Relief Tiger Force, an army of volunteers raised by Prime Minister Imran Khan's government to distribute ration and help out people who have lost their livelihoods.

In some parts, these volunteers have also been asked to identify and register families in need of cash support from the Ehsaas Programme. The strategy to raise a new body of volunteers has provoked a reaction from the opposition and civil society activists involved in humanitarian relief work on the political nature of the force. After all, the majority of volunteers are either affiliated with the PTI or support it. Theoretically, political parties do have a right to try and win over voters by taking action they feel is for the public good, but in the acrimonious political atmosphere that exists in the country today, many might argue against this logic. Only time will tell whether or not the initiative was worthy of the resentment it has generated.

What is clear is that the government has missed the opportunity offered by the health crisis to resurrect and reorganise the politically neutral civil defence...

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