‘Kashmir lockdown must end to contain coronavirus,’ Pakistan embarrasses itself at SAARC meeting

At a time when the Coronavirus Pandemic has taken grip of the entire world, New Delhi has reaffirmed its position as a regional and global leader, by initiating a SAARC video conference on the novel Wuhan virus. On the other hand, Islamabad has once again proven itself to be an international joke.  

Leading the SAARC initiative against Coronavirus, PM Modi had tweeted, “Our planet is battling the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. At various levels, governments and people are trying their best to combat it. South Asia, which is home to a significant number of the global population should leave no stone unturned to ensure our people are healthy.” 

His outreach had won praise from all other leaders in the South Asian region, as several heads of governments and states in the region lauded him for leading from the front. 

At the SAARC video conference, PM Modi reiterated India’s mantra ‘prepare, but don’t panic’ in combating the Coronavirus outbreak. He said, “Our region has reported less than 150 coronavirus cases, but we need to remain vigilant.” He added, ​”Step-by-step approach helped avoid panic, made special efforts to reach out to vulnerable groups.” 

Taking India’s efforts to combat Coronavirus in the region even further, Prime Minister Modi has pledged 10 million US Dollars to the COVID-19 emergency fund and added that India is constituting a team of doctors and specialists for the SAARC nations as a part of the larger initiative taken by Prime Minister Modi. 

While India is winning praise from the SAARC nations for its humanitarian initiative, Islamabad has once again embarrassed itself at the global level by raising the Kashmir issue even at this video conference. 

At the outset, it was only Islamabad which was represented by the Special Assistant on Health to Prime Minister Imran Khan, while all other countries were represented by their heads of State/ government. 

Strangely, Zafar Mirza representing Pakistan, raised the Kashmir issue and said that the ‘lockdown’ in the Valley must end for any measure to contain the Coronavirus outbreak. He said, “Equity in health is a fundamental principle of public health. In this regard, let me say that it is a matter of concern that COVID-19 has been reported (from Jammu & Kashmir)”, and added an illogical suggestion, “Opening up communication and movement would facilitate dissemination of information, allow distribution of medical supplies and allow containment…to proceed unimpeded.” 

This is absurd at so many levels even by Pakistan’s standards. Firstly, there are only two positive cases of Coronavirus in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, and while there are hundreds of such cases in the rest of the SAARC region, the Pakistani representative was acting as if Coronavirus has hit only the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. 

What makes it further absurd is that he actually called for an end to the ‘lockdown’ to allow measures for containment of Coronavirus. What does Zafar, who seems contorted in his head, wants to imply? If he feels that Coronavirus has hit Kashmir, isn’t a ‘lockdown’ or quarantine the real solution instead of ending it? How will ending a Kashmir ‘lockdown’ that exists only in Pakistan’s imagination extinguish Coronavirus? Needless to say, this ridiculous and petty statement made many cringe and invited a variety of reactions.

Since Article 370 was abrogated on August 5 last year, Pakistan has inculcated a habit of reducing itself into a source of derision by raising the issue at every unrelated forum, a practice that it has continued further at the SAARC video conference humiliating itself even further.