Coronavirus Around the World – Pakistan

Coronavirus in Pakistan – 20 Days of Lockdown and Counting

OTL City Guides are designed to be the go-to for all kinds of lifestyle information. Unfortunately, lifestyle these days seems to completely revolve around the Coronavirus COV-19 crisis. While so many of us are cooped up at home, it can be easy to forget that we’re not the only ones going through this, so we’ve asked writers from around the globe to share their experiences.

This post touches upon the Coronavirus in Pakistan. Maria, a resident of Lahore, shares what life is like in the first three weeks of the shutdown.

coronavirus around the world, coronavirus in pakistan

Life In Pakistan In The Time Of Coronavirus

By Maria in Lahore

Chaos, a word I knew the literal meaning of but never knew it could become an entity in existence. I live in Lahore, the heart of Pakistan, as they say, and enjoy a somewhat privileged life, but the piece is not about me, it’s about life that is suffering, and I get to see that every day when I look outside my window.

The streets that never slept sleep now; the shops that were opened till 2 am in the night; they close at 5 pm in the evening, and schools that were full of children’s laughter, not a long ago, are now soundless. And all that is left on the roads and streets is the silence and people wondering till when it will be the life for humanity.



Twenty days and counting

The Coronavirus that has enveloped the whole world has disturbed the life in Pakistan to a serious extent. The country is in lockdown for almost 20 days, but this is where the dilemma of my nation surprises me. Though everything is closed yet many people are still getting out of their houses despite the government pleading them, again and again, to stay in homes, be safe, and let others be safe. I did not know what to comment on when one of my friends sent me a picture of a police officer, begging an older man to go back home.

Then I see the other aspect of the situation. It is not the virus itself so much that is the challenge for my country but feeding the people who have become unemployed due to this pandemic. Businesses are cutting their employees’ salaries if not cutting on them. It is about that 25% population that feeds only with what they earn daily. It has been 20 days in lockdown, and the very thought of those families and their children shakes me.

So, yes, life in Pakistan during Coronavirus is suffering, and Coronavirus news from Pakistan is only updating about the rising number of cases and deaths.

It makes me realize how little we know. The technology that made mankind step on the moon, create bombs that would wreak havoc on earth, and made the world a global village seems to become powerless in front of ‘the flu.’ It is not that there won’t be a cure, but how many lives will be lost before getting there. Mother Nature is for sure the real mad scientist, I have got to know now.

Bringing out the best in people

But still, we cannot let go of hope because that is how we survive. Yes, we can’t lose hope because it is all we’ve got, and that is what will bring the cure. The Pakistani nation has big hearts. Despite continuously struggling on the economic front, the county ranks among the top countries as it spends more 1% of its GDP on charity. And this tradition is living on, from celebrities to educational institutions to students to ordinary people; all are contributing to help provide the necessities to families in need. Volunteer organizations are busy distributing excess food from restaurants and raashan packets to people in need.

The scenes outside the grocery and medical stores where people are buying stuff and then giving to the needy make me feel good because we might not have a lot, but we know how to share.

And that’s all I want to say to the world that we can’t change the times, but we can be there for each other in this time of chaos. It is what it is, but it will be over soon.