Mismanagement in dealing with COVID-19: SC moved against fed, provincial governments

The Supreme Court was approached for orders to the federal and provincial governments to take immediate action for effectively dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, as the governments have clearly failed even at such an early stage of the pandemic.
The petition under Article 184(3) of the Constitution was filed on Saturday jointly by human rights organisations, activists, lawyers, the Awami Workers Party (AWP) Punjab president, and those who are directly affected by federal and provincial governments' mismanagement in dealing with the rapid spread of the virus.
The petition has made the federation through secretary Ministry of National Health Services, chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), and chief secretaries of all the provinces as respondents.
The petitioners have requested the apex court to order the federal government to declare a national public health emergency across the country, establish an emergency relief fund, and order utilization of the dam fund for curtailment of this virus.
They said the governments have clearly failed even at such an early stage of the pandemic therefore they urged the apex court to play its role in saving Pakistan from the worst health and economic crisis that the country is heading towards.
The confirmed cases of coronavirus have jumped from 22 last Friday (March 13) to 504 cases on Saturday (21-03-2020). The petitioners fear that if it was not contained right away, it would reach a level that the governments would be unable to control.
They contended that even at this early stage of the pandemic, the incumbent federal and provincial governments have failed miserably and in fact, the governments' current policies, ignorance of the gravity of the situation, and inaction, would only further accelerate this spread.
According to the petitioners, "this global epidemic poses an unprecedented threat to the fundamental rights of the public at-large, including, but not limited to, the right to essential healthcare, the right to earn a livelihood, the right to enjoy equal protection of law, the right to freedom of movement and assembly, the right to trade, the right to receive information, the right to education, and all in all, the right to a dignified and free existence.
This pandemic disease, if not curbed urgently, possesses the capacity to destabilise the entire nation, resulting in unmatched physical, mental, economic, and social loss to the country. Moreover, the petitioners have prayed for urgent action to secure katchi abadis and refugee settlements.
They said that the katchi abadis with high population density, poor sanitation, water shortages, and proximity to sewage, could become death traps and flashpoints for coronavirus spread. The petitioners have also requested for the release of under-trial inmates and convicted prisoners for minor offenses incarcerated in jails all over the country.
They feared, if the federal and provincial governments did not take immediate and effective measures, there would be a large-scale loss of life, critical health issues, food shortages, economic downfall, crime, and chaos.
The petitioners realise the urgency of the situation, and urged that all organs of the state should be engaged at this moment, in dealing with this pandemic before it is too late, and the country reaches a point of no return.