Writing on the Wall

Be careful, you are not immune!  The federal cabinet has approved the most-wanted decision of easing restrictions in the lockdown after May 11. The ease in lockdown brings good news for small business owners like garment/cloth sellers, shoe shop owners, mechanics, and spare parts shop owners. Earlier, we also witnessed that the lockdown was not truly being observed by the general public as they can be seen on the roads and in the grocery shops without following the SoP’s recommended by the government. It was rumored that the government will be forced to open the markets and transport in the coming week. But, unfortunately, the government’s policy of ease in restrictions has been misinterpreted by people as complete removal of lockdown. While the cabinet has only allowed a few, specific industries to reopen to prevent an economic collapse, but many people have taken it as a green signal to return to their pre-lockdown routines. The traffic has returned to the streets, busin

Each star a rung, night comes down the spiral staircase of the evening. The breeze passes by so very close as if someone just happened to speak of love. In the courtyard, the trees are absorbed refugees embroidering maps of return on the sky. On the roof, the moon - lovingly, generously –   is turning the stars into a dust of sheen. From every corner, dark-green shadows,   in ripples, come towards me. At any moment they may break over me, like the waves of pain each time I remember this separation from my lover. This thought keeps consoling me: though tyrants may command that lamps be smashed in rooms where lovers are destined to meet,   they cannot snuff out the moon, so today, nor tomorrow, no tyranny will succeed, no poison of torture make me bitter, if just one evening in prison can be so strangely sweet, if just one moment anywhere on this earth. Translation b y: Agha Shahid Ali About the poet:   FAIZ AHMED FAIZ     

We the Pakistanis are dealing with a much bigger problem, it isn’t corona, it’s the communal reckless resolve, which is compelling us to drag the people towards a mass suicide. It just takes a man’s obstinacy which mars the difference between faith and cult. People of Pakistan have witnessed it quite a bit, but during the trying times of corona, it has emerged and spread in a pandemic nature. The fight is underway between radicals willing to perform sacraments and the petrified rationalists’ lot fervent to save humanity. The radicals have once again “convinced” the government to ease the restrictions it has imposed keeping in view the corona pandemic and the preparations for the festive season is in full swing. Radicalists, on the other hand, are running from pillar to post trying to persuade the people that this isn’t the time for such adventurisms and precautions combined with social distancing can aid the fight against the COVID-19. Meanwhile, the viral infectio

The government has recently decided to ease the lock down following less number of cases being reported in the country. According to the top government officials they were expecting a high number of cases which didn’t turn out to be true. AS the government eased the lock down restrictions, a couple of days ago, masses threw the idea of social distancing aside and flouted the corona virus prevention guidelines. People can be seen standing close to each other without masks and they are constantly touching their faces. It can be witnessed anywhere official conferences to queues outside shops and banks, the situation is no different. It has been told on many forums by the health officials and the world health organization that a person can be infected by breathing in the virus if they are within a few feet of an infected person. Despite that the importance of practicing precautions appears to be lost on many occasions. This attitude towards a virus which has infected around 9000

Meetings of clerics on two different occasions have announced that they will resist the imposition of further restrictions on prayer congregations, the statement came following clear instructions by the government to observe the lockdown in mosques. The government has already vowed to bring clerics and all religious groups on-board before reaching a final decision on April 18 and after that such a decision looks quite confusing. The scholars have promised to take necessary measures for congregations, it is difficult to perceive how they will manage mandatory distancing at each and every mosque at all times, with the rising number of people wanting to participate in congregational prayer. It is duty of the citizens, religious scholars to abide by rules laid down by the government against the corona virus pandemic. The government is responsible for protecting all citizens, which includes clerics. Through their unilateral decision-making, the clerics are putting themselves an