The coronavirus pandemic has weighed heavily on healthcare systems around the world. Many states like India succumbed to the outbreak and had to face major crisis situations. Pakistan, however, was acknowledged and appreciated for its timely and satisfactory response to the deadly virus. Although the country did not have enough resources to begin with, it sustained under the circumstances with minimal damage. The devil is, however, in detail, and the story of controlling and curtailing the spread of the virus could be made possible only through a set of measures. The government chose measures like the smart lockdown technique to keep the economy running while preventing the virus from spreading. Along with that the NCOC started vaccination drives as soon as the vaccine became available. People are time and again notified and asked to get the vaccine shot so as to prevent the loss of life to the virus. Measures such as petrol pumps refusing to give fuel to unvaccinated people made it more and more difficult for people to not get the vaccine. Playing of a recording in every telephone call which stated the imminent need of getting vaccinated instead of the dial tune also subtly groomed people into getting the vaccine if they hadn’t already done so.
Yet there is a large part of the population which refuses to get vaccinated. The reasons differ among different groups but mostly there is a fear factor involved. Many people from the rural areas also do not have ID cards which makes it difficult for them to get the vaccine if they are willing to get the jab.
On the other hand, many have taken to cheap tactics such as getting people who have already passed away or are not in the country registered in the system which then states that these people have been vaccinated. Recently, Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif, wife of the former prime minister who passed away three years ago, had been registered at Vehari as one of the citizens who had got the vaccine. Moreover, in Multan, another prominent PML-N leader Ishaq Dar who is currently in the UK was registered in Multan for the vaccination. This is naturally shedding negative light on the covid control system as it shows how aloof the staff is at these vaccination centers. However, it also shows that people will go to great lengths to bring disrepute to well-functioning state institutions just out of spite. At one point, it could be a dirty politics to malign the government’s anti-coronavirus measures; on the other hand, such steps can bring disrepute to the state in the comity of the international world. The law-enforcement agencies have taken action against the negligible officials, but this is the time that the elements playing such dramas be apprehended as well.
