Delicate balance

Asad Umar, the Minister for Planning and Development, whose relevance within Prime Minister Imran Khan's Cabinet has further strengthened as the administration struggles to meet the ever-rising challenges as a consequence of the onslaught of the pandemic urged for a balance between lockdown and a running economy. This advice can be supported without reservations as a complete lockdown necessitating relaxation to enable purchase of essential items may defeat the very purpose of the lockdown that a running economy can forestall. And business as usual with respect to a running economy would spread the virus at wildfire speed shutting down the economy in any case. Hence the common sense of striking a balance as stated by Umar. The problem however is that while this statement makes intrinsic sense and appears to be the only viable option yet to set the parameters of what constitutes the balance is a challenge that no administration has been able to meet.
China is being accused of initially understating the pandemic raging within its territory while Italians and Spaniards are complaining about their governments' approach in dealing with the virus. Criticism of US President Trump's handling has been most virulent perhaps more centered on the fact that it is an election year though he did grossly understate the pandemic's impact. True that it is times of hardship that test the ability of a leader but it is during times of hardship that a leader is most severely criticised for his inability to meet the demands of all the people of the country. Thus criticism of Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent measures should have come as no surprise.
While the rich West is facing serious pandemic-related challenges with respect to severe limitations to its medical delivery system, manifold better than ours, as well as the horrendous impact on economies in developing countries like Pakistan, the problems are compounded by: (i) lack of a countrywide government delivery system of essentials with few Utility Stores in rural areas (with over 60 percent of our population that is rising as labour returns home due to the pandemic); (ii) inability to ensure ATMs are routinely replenished to ensure that all can access cash, including those who would receive the four-month advance payment under the Kafaalat Ehsaas programme (Benazir Income Support Programme); (iii) identifying labour in the informal sectors and having the necessary data and means to ensure they receive the payment or essentials at home; and (iv) lack of test kits that medical practitioners fear is grossly understating the grip of the virus in Pakistan and accounting for some ill-informed decisions by the government.
What is critical at this stage is for the administration to widen its access to expert advice, both relating to the virus and proposals to deal with it more effectively, rather than relying exclusively on its cabinet members, most of whom, as in other countries, are ill equipped to deal with a crisis of this dimension. The Prime Minister as a leader among lesser mortals needs to acknowledge that he requires a specific expertise based on past success which understandably is not available with his team.