Let's get realistic

By Eesha Aziz

Pulling each other's leg, taking decisions opposite to what the opposition has said, having promises before elections, and then not fulfilling them is politics right? Well, what do you think? The things that are going on these days shows that it is what politics and government means.

The financial state of the economy shows all, the success and failure of them. Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and its mammoth economic consequences for the global economy, a string of crises erupted. Of all the unprecedented financial blows of 2020, the news concerning the extraordinary decline in global economic activity leading to the United States’ oil prices falling to a jaw-dropping $0 for the first time in history is set to be one of the most unpredictable by-products of this pandemic. Termed one of the most debilitating quarters for oil prices in the history of the ‘oil revolution,’ this recent development comes amid the oil-price ‘war’ initiated by Saudi Arabia against Russia in early March. A sharp decline in factory output and transportation demands following the early stages of the 2019-2020 COVID-19 pandemic precipitated a decrease in oil demands, leading oil prices to plummet. The same situations like oil prices are in Pakistan as well. This all is due to poor management, disunity, and not taking decisions at the right time.

If they all realize, not doing proper lockdown at the right time cost them a lot of casualties. People lost a lot of their loved ones. Even then I see our Prime Minister still not taking the right steps. In the beginning, when the first COVID 19 cases appeared in Pakistan all the borders should have been closed. I know they say that they closed but we all know that was false. Smuggling was still ongoing and only when Iran was infected did they stop people at the border. They were detained in huge crowds and were kept there, which is the opposite of WHO guidelines, and social distancing.

Anyways, putting this aside, almost all have heard the Prime Minister's speech to us? First, he wrongly labels COVID 19 as the common flu. It will happen for a few days and then you will recover, nothing to worry about. Now after a few days, he said people are not taking things seriously!!!! Seriously, I mean, talk about contradicting statements. First, you do not properly inform the general public. Then you say that PEOPLE ARE NOT TAKING IT SERIOUSLY. Making such statements on the media, you can not even deny what you said. There is nowhere to hide. Due to the non-serious attitudes of our political leaders, the cases have crossed 100,000!!!

The steps that he takes and whatever more he has said is just saddening. No doubt, he has helped many underprivileged through Shaukat Khanum. But lifting the partial lockdown and letting people suffer, is disappointing. When there is no government implemented lockdown, workplaces demand employees come to offices. Many are shifting to work from home, but the ones stepping out of the house to work are at a greater chance of getting infected, which will ultimately lead to more economic loss.

With despondent predictions over the fate of the global economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, experts investigate the possibilities of the Corona Virus slowing down. Of these predictions, lecturer of immunology Dr. Jenna Macciochi also weighs in on the difficulty in projecting a slowdown: ‘It’s a question we probably all want to know the answer to and I doubt anyone knows for sure as it depends on many factors. I’d say we don’t currently know.’

We have no idea how long this could last, maybe two months maybe three or maybe the whole year. Seeing the situation, decisions, and conditions of other countries such as the USA, I fear many more lives would be lost. Speaking of America, during the pandemic, certain police officers decided to take advantage and assumed people will not come out to protest. Yes, you guessed it right I am talking about George Floyd. Just because he was black they killed him and thought no one could do any harm to them. They were wrong, the whole United States was with George Floyd and people stepped out on to the streets to protest for justice. This (sometimes violent) display of power, resulted in Donald trump hiding in the bunker under the White House, and a building was also renamed as the Black Lives Matter Plaza.

To conclude, I would like to ask you all what would you do if you were the authority? If you were in a position of power, how would you have gone about this pandemic? What mistakes would you not repeat?

(Photo from here.)