Writing on the Wall

The corona virus has caused ample damage around the world leaving almost every country distraught economically and socially. Ironically, the health sector was on the front line facing brunt of the situation. With all its worrying effects, the virus has steered the governments around the world to commence damage-assessment in various circles. Taking stock of the situation, Unicef has pointed out the alarming number of missed vaccination targets as a result of the lockdowns. In Pakistan, an already suffering vaccination campaign against the polio disease has been further debilitated. Unicef has reported sporadic outbreaks of preventable diseases such as measles and diphtheria in Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Pakistan is a large country with high childhood mortality and low immunization coverage rates as every year, more than one million children miss out a full course of the most basic vaccines here hinting that it is difficult to find children missing out during the anti-

Nobody knew that a time will come upon this generation which will force the people to quit all the things they were once addicted to.   The advent of Ramadan 2020 fetched concerns, anxieties and reminiscences from the past.   Ramadan in Muslim countries is like the biggest festival time which is full of colors, cuisines, rituals and joys. It has a different sense and significance for people of different age groups. The old fellows find this holy month an opportunity to seek clemency and salvation with a series of sacraments.   The month of Ramadan literally lure people towards the mosques for daily prayers, they keep fasts throughout the month, offer congregational Quranic recitations and sit in the Aitkaf (people sit in isolation for 10 days and pray). The children, on the other hand, perceive this as the month of festivities.   As they hear that Ramadan is here, they start compelling their parents for shopping and toys and obviously the scrumptious cuisines are a perfect d