Pakistan: Covid-19, federalism and the first wave response

By the end of 2020, Pakistan had recorded over 475,000 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus, with over 10,000 lives lost. At the end of the first wave, in July, lockdowns were lifted, and businesses, public transport, restaurants, and educational institutions re-opened. Pakistan was slow to mobilize its pandemic response, preferring to monitor the situation and then scrambling to test samples and develop a response plan. In addition to the human cost, the pandemic is expected to have a serious impact on Pakistan’s already fragile economic situation. Initially, the Pakistan government’s response to the pandemic was marred by indecision, confusion, and mismanagement. The federal government prevaricated on a country-wide lockdown, citing valid concerns for the poor who would be disproportionately impacted but failing to substantiate concrete steps for handling the situation. In April, the Prime Minister announced the easing of the lockdown despite opposition by medical professionals and provincial governments.