Everyone is well aware of the coronavirus outbreak which has spread in over 160 countries across the world. By far, the virus has affected around 3 million people globally and the global death toll has risen to at least 207K. Thankfully, over 869K people have recovered from the deadly outbreak.
The speed with which corona is spreading seems unstoppable, thereby the world is going towards a lockdown. People are living in fear due to coronavirus pandemic. People have been advised to adopt social distancing during the lockdown. The condition across the world is critical but we know–this too shall pass.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s prominent cleric Maulana Tariq Jameel made a controversial statement against women that the coronavirus has been brought to humanity as a repercussion to the “wrongdoing of women”. The cleric held women and their clothes responsible for COVID-19 outbreak. He made the comments on live television during the Ehsaas Telethon fund raising event on Thursday in the presence of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan, as per media reports.
Surprisingly, how did PM Imran Khan allow him for making such statements? The maulana said that women and their attire are responsible for COVID-19. He blamed the global pandemic on women, who “were often scantily dressed”. The maulana was not supposed to make a derogatory statement against the women community as his remarks will invite thousands of women to criticize him.
“When a Muslim’s daughter practices immodesty and the youth indulges in immorality, then Allah’s torment is unto such a nation,” the maulana said.
The maulana further condemned the media for disseminating lies. He called media houses around the world, including those in Pakistan, “liars”.
Dawn quoted the maulana as saying, “The prime minister is here, media anchorpersons are here… Do we consider how we are going to face the day of judgment due to our deceitfulness?”
But, he apologised to the media for his remarks. However, the maulana is in no mood to apologize for his demeaning remarks about women. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called out the cleric for his offensive statement against women.
The commission took to Twitter and wrote: “HRCP is appalled at Maulana Tariq Jamil’s recent statement inexplicably correlating women’s ‘modesty’ to the Covid19 pandemic. Such blatant objectification is unacceptable and, when aired on public television, only compounds the misogyny entrenched in society.”
There have been 13,323 confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan so far, including 281 deaths. So far 3,029 people have recovered from the coronavirus pandemic. Wazir e azam Imran khan said, “No single government can battle the pandemic. The entire nation needs to join hands to fight this virus, keeping in mind the times that are ahead.”
He also urged people to maintain social distancing and pray at home instead of going to mosques during the lockdown. Earlier, former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar sought help from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide 10,000 ventilators to Pakistan in the time of crisis.
It is not hidden to anyone that Pakistan, at the moment, is seeing the shortage of face masks. In Pakistan, Hospitals and healthcare facilities are struggling to cope with the daily inflow of patients and lack of beds, equipment like ventilators in the time of crisis.
After taking into account all situations, Rawalpindi Express made a request to PM Modi that if India provides 10,000 ventilators to Pakistan in this hard time, Pakistan will always be grateful to India.
