Leadership is facing its real test

Amega crisis becomes the best testing ground of a leader. His ability to lead the nation with confidence and taking the right decisions become pivotal. This is as much applicable now when millions are facing the life-threatening coronavirus, as it is when a nation is at war as was the case in World War II, a global war that engulfed a vast majority of countries. The difference being there is no opposing group of countries that are fighting each other. All countries are fighting the same life-threatening virus, and the more united and effective front they put up against this enemy, the greater would be their chances of victory.

Unity of action would not only mean sharing common experiences and best practices in dealing with the pandemic but also with material and manpower where possible. The Chinese government has taken an exemplary lead in this regard. President Xi Jinping has exhibited great qualities of leadership amid the most trying times. He ignored criticism, kept his cool, formulated a policy after very serious deliberations and implemented it faithfully. Now, China is in a position to share its experience with countries that are afflicted with the coronavirus and is supplying them medicines and supporting gear. Pakistan remains one of its most prominent beneficiaries in receiving medical equipment, protective personal gear and valuable advice.

In sharp contrast, President Trump and Prime Minister Johnson vacillated. As a consequence, what we are witnessing today is that the virus is spreading exponentially in New York and other American states, and similarly in Britain it has taken the lives of hundreds.

The Pakistani leadership’s strengths and weaknesses too have been fully exposed in the last few weeks by the quality of their response. The Prime Minister thought clamping down on normal national activity will deprive the millions of daily workers of their livelihood thus it was as bad if not worse than the spread of the killer Covid-19. This logic, of course, did not stand to scrutiny because any mixing of people by resuming construction or any other such activity would only worsen the situation.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah clearly emerged as a leader who took immediate charge, displayed enormous confidence, fully aware that the pandemic would only come under control through aggressive measures. Obviously, no one expects that his policies would be strictly implemented in a lax society as ours but nonetheless, Sindh would have a clear edge over those provinces that are going to learn the hard way. Equally creditable is the mature and sensible approach adopted by Bilawal Bhutto. His offer to fully cooperate with the Centre and refrain from criticism only showed that there is so much of promise in our younger leadership.

This is being demonstrated at several levels. How our young doctors, paramedics and health workers are risking their lives to make the country safe. It is not surprising that among the cases reported so far there is a significant number of casualties of young people as opposed to the global trend where the preponderance is of older ones.

In these times when everyone is expected to put his best foot forward the expectations from our leaders are also elevated. Whereas, the compassion and measures taken by the PM for the poorest and most dispossessed members of the society are truly laudable, his attitude towards the opposition leadership is inexplicable. Ego and obstinacy may pass as a fairly common phenomenon in peacetime, but it has to give way during such an unprecedented crisis that the country and the world is facing. In simpler terms when the lives of millions are involved self-instincts that conflict with the larger goal have to be fully subordinated. Let justice for politicians and others take its normal course and remain in the domain of our courts.

For Pakistan’s politicians and the affluent, travelling abroad for treatment has been routine and this practice goes back decades. Take the present top leadership — Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif, Asif Zardari have all been abroad when they found local treatment would not be satisfactory. The other allegation that their children are abroad is equally applicable to our politicians as it is to millions of other Pakistanis. They go abroad to find new and better pastures. It is a globalised world and the coronavirus is a living demonstration, albeit the ugly side of it.

The present tension or confrontation, however you may like to characterise the situation between the PTI government and opposition, is seriously affecting governance. There have been cases recently when hundreds of trucks loaded with perishable commodities have been stranded due to a lack of coordination and indifference. In this, no one province or the federal government is a winner.

As history bears out only those leaders have succeeded who have been pragmatic and not allowed personal predispositions to stand in the way in promoting the larger interest of the state and its people. A most outstanding and textbook example of this approach was Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician and president of South Africa. Of course, leaders of this calibre are born once in a century. The general lesson that needs to be drawn here is that reason and national interests should override personal biases.

Moreover, with extreme uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus as to how long it will last, how many lives would it take and what would be its economic fallout, sharp divisions among political parties would only add to the misery of the common folk.

What we need at this time is decency, a sense of purpose, brotherhood and sisterhood, while caring for our elders. If ever the country needed unity it is now. Because it is crystal clear that the pathogen is indifferent to wealth, religion, caste or tribe. Nor does it differentiate between the arrogant and the humble, selfish and the selfless or sinner and a saint. It is hence imperative we create no further divisions. We will have ample time to fight our petty battles based on ego or so-called principles if we stay healthy and alive. May Allah bless us all!

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2020.

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