Azhar Azad Mughal, Shikarpur
People are living miserable lives and in extreme conditions in the aftermath of declaration of coronavirus as pandemic the world over. The plight of poor and vulnerable segments of society,particularly laborers and daily wagers can not be expressed mere in words, the provision of which on priority basis rests with the rulers of the time.
It is the prime and sole responsibility of the state to not only take all possible sincere measures to cure the victims of covid-19 but make proper arrangements to provide essential items to the people having no resources to run their domestic affairs desperately needed to survive in society.
The govt’s delaying tacits in distribution of ration or financial help to the deserving and vulnerable would further aggravate the situation in the country.To avoid such untoward incident that can earn bad name to the govt, it is ripe time for the govt officials to come into action and extend a helping to the poor,stranded and helpless. The pain and suffering of losing labour and livelihood due to lock down is beyond description. The number of people below poverty line is increasing with leaps and bounds and it is expected to rise with each passing day until and unless the present regime utilises its all available potentials, resources and energies to stop the spread of killer coronovirus pandemic.
I think it s ripe time for the PTI-led federal govt to invite all the political forces of the country to develop consensus and chalk out collective strategy to combat the contagious coronavirus with collective wisdom and leadership.
It would be naive for the sitting regime of so-called champions of change to think that deadly covid-19 pandemic, that has nearly taken 40,0000 lives in different parts of the world, would be defeated single-handedly. The federal govt has announced relief package for the deserving and destitute and have invited them to fill the proforma and register them in this connection but it has badly exposed itself by displaying biased,discriminatory and step-mitherly attitude towards Sindh by neglecting its concerns where PPP is in power.It does not suit the federal govt to push its smaller provinces to wall merely on political grounds that can sow the seeds of hatred between federation and federating units. The PM of the country must take chief ministers of the federating units of the country into confidence and seek their recommendations before making any major decision and announcement.
It does not suit Madina like welfare state of ours to discriminate with its own people on political grounds in connection with just distribution of medical equipment and announcement of relief package on its own.The Prime Minister’s relief fund for the poor must include the poor belonging to Sindh and win the hearts of its people. In addition to this, the transparent and merit-based mechanism must be devised at all costs for the relief package announced for the vulnerable and poor sections of society so that it may reach the deserving ones for in the past at the times of natural disasters, the aid donated by other countries for the affected people went to already well-off and wealthier class.To my utter surprise, those who have each and everything to enjoy, leave no stone unturned grab poor people’s aid.Due to dead conscience,they are always ready for sale out of sheer greed.Needless to say that this is the country where moral and social values are sacrificed at the alter of self-vested personal interests and egos.Such bad practice must come to its end. In today’s era of inflation in the country when purchasing power of the middle class is badly affected, those who hoard things in abundance for serving their interests and those who charge exorbitant prices of essential commodities everyday use must be dealt with iron hand irrespective of their influence and affiliation either with ruling elite it opposition party. In the end, the affluent class belonging to any community, party, religion must come forward in today’s testing and challenging times to help support those looking for food items and other essential items either with hard cash or in the form of material.This is time to bring heaps of happiness and smiles on their wrinkled,sad and fearful faces.If this spirit of service, affection, kindness and art to bringing smile is tantamount to pleasing pleasing God.