KARACHI:
Amid such dreary conditions, it is important, for the sake of sanity, to acknowledge that the Covid-19 pandemic has forced us to bring about some constructive changes in our daily lives. The constant opening and re-opening of economic, academic, and industrial activities has forced people to relinquish conventional means of doing things and instead explore new horizons. Fortunately, although our response to this stimulus has been slow, positive steps have been taken; we have found an escape in digital and virtual world.
Soon after a worldwide lockdown was initiated, everyone turned towards social media in order to reconnect themselves with the world. Businesses began shifting from the physical to the virtual as entrepreneurs saw a greater opportunity of increasing their outreach in unexplored online markets. This growing culture of online business has impelled numerous start-ups to join the market and compete global. As a result, literally every single product and service has reached the fingertips of consumers.
Furthermore, while finances were although already on the path to digitalisation, abrupt shift to online banking due to the pandemic, has not only completely changed the way we interact with money but has given rise to a far more improved system with greater transparency and security. The ongoing policy changes to prevent money laundering and terror financing have been reinforced and the overall financial system is being revolutionized as we speak.
While countless view the coronavirus pandemic as an obstacle, many others have found tremendous opportunities to transform the way we live. All in all, digitalisation has rescued societies from the shackles of isolation. It has also promoted the significance of digital literacy, a change which no one had expected.
Muhammad Salman
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2020.
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