MALI, 29 March 2020, TON: Despite Coronavirus, Malian government decided to maintain the legislative elections set for Sunday 29 March, by inviting "all voters to strict compliance with the measures to prevent and combat the coronavirus. Washing kits or hand sanitizers are available at the entrance of each polling station. The government cautioned voters to avoid regrouping inside and outside polling stations. The second round will be held on 19 April 2020.

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita declared a state of health emergency in the country due to Coronavirus spread in foreign countries. In his message to the nation, President Keita said "Mali's land borders will be closed, except for freight and the transport of goods, in particular basic necessities."

The elections were initially scheduled in 2018 but postponed several times due to security reasons. The current parliament was elected in the 2013 elections, which gave substantial majority to President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The assembly was to be renewed in October and November 2018, after President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita re-election as president but were postponed several times.

Strange but true, the US President Donald Trump in his latest tweet on Saturday, 28 March, said quarantine for New York area will not be necessary. Despite official figures of 2000 deaths in US, over 1000 in United Kingdom and 7503 in Italy, the leaders of these countries and many other do not believe in quarantine. In his latest tweet, President Trump said on Saturday night that he has asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) to issue a strong Travel Advisory but quarantine on the New York region will not be necessary. It is interesting to note that President Trump took this decision knowing well that New York City alone has seen 200 plus deaths in a single day on 28 March.

US Health Department confirmed that Coronavirus related deaths in US have doubled in two days, hitting 2000 on Saturday. The department also confirmed 20,000 officially announced new cases in one single day on Saturday for the first time. It would be interesting to note that an official of Department of Health and Human Services’ Civil Rights office disclosed that COVID-19 are usually contracted by very old people who rarely survive due to chronic history of many diseases including bronchitis and asthma. Accordingly, as per WP, the Civil Rights office of Department of Health and Human Services urged health care providers “to not ration care for covid-19 patients based on disability or age”.

It is interesting to note that the Prime Minister of United Kingdom, Boris Johnson in his address to the nation on 23 March, rather than asking masses to quarantine said, “From this evening I must give the British people a very simple instruction - you must stay at home. Because the critical thing we must do is stop the disease spreading between households.” In his address, he said that people will only be allowed to leave their home for very limited purposes including shopping, one form of exercise a day e.g. a run, walk, or cycle alone or with members of your household, medical need and travelling to and from work.  It would be interesting to note that with the exception of few odd, all Churches in United Kingdom remained open on Sunday 29 March.

Italy, which has officially reported 7503 deaths and 74386 infections due to Coronaviris also announced restricted suspension of some activities. The Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on 11 March 2020, executed a decree imposing the temporary lockdown of any retailing activities, with the exceptions of those relating to the sale of essential goods. On 22 March 2020, another decree was issued which is to remain in force from 25 March to 3 April 2020. The government imposed the shutdown and restriction on non-strategic activities including non-strategic production activities and additional restrictions on the individuals’ movement from one municipality to another with the exception of well-grounded work, absolute urgency or health-related reasons. The shutdown was also not to apply on professional activities, strategic activities and other essential public services including defense and aerospace industries.

It is a media war, who knows how many died or infected but Pakistan and some other countries have done a great blunder by taking anti-human rights and anti-individual’s freedom measures including closing all the Mosques for congregational prayers. This could have been enforced on voluntarily basis, in case some specific area is epicenter of epidemic. It is the time to reopen the country and rethink about the cause of Coronavirus, which includes spread of virus from pigs or swine? As proved from the case studies of US, UK and Italy, civil protection is important but closing and imposing restrictions on strategic production houses and services has no precedent anywhere. It is strange that even the hospitals are closed for prescriptions and medicines for the sick as only COVID-19 cases are dealt, which in Pakistan has so far rarely reported, other that precautionary quarantine of those returning from abroad.  Where there is imposed restriction on movement for even essential work, some countries have been forced to come to a standstill that would be counterproductive. One sees people begging for food in the middle-class and poor-class communities. Where we must ensure restrict our activities it is the responsibility of Government and masses to ensure the survival of all.

ISLAMABAD, 28 March 2020, TON: Pakistan’s National Coordination Committee (NCC) had decided to close Eastern and Western borders both for trade and passenger traffic for another two weeks. In statement issued by NCC at Islamabad said, “The closure duration of two weeks of the borders has come to an end today and therefore NCC has decided to further extend the restriction for another two weeks. Both passenger traffic and trade has been stopped at the borders with Afghanistan, Iran and India which includes Kartarpur Corridor as well.”

The NCC on 14 March had earlier decided to halt border traffic on borders of the country for two weeks. International flights to the country were banned till 4th  April. In addition there will also be prohibition for flights leaving the country for abroad from tomorrow. It is interesting to note that the domestic flights were also suspended except the form Gilgit and Skardu.

NEW DELHI, 28 March 2020, TON: In an alarming disclosure, the Indian Government has said that over 15 lakh passengers who returned from abroad during the last two months may have skipped the monitoring system put in place for coronavirus (COVID-19) surveillance.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has revealed that in the last two month, more than 15 lakh international travelers came to India but there appears to be a gap in their actual monitoring.

In his letter to Chief Secretaries of States and Union Territories, Rajiv Gauba said such a gap in monitoring of international passengers for coronavirus may seriously jeopardise the efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus, given that many amongst the persons who have tested positive so far in India have history of international travel.

The Indian Government had started monitoring of all international passengers who have arrived in India in last two months in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and put under close surveillance to prevent the spread of the epidemic.

WASHINGTON, 28 March 2020, IANS: Overwhelmed by the rapid rise in the number of coronavirus infected people, the US government has decided to use its navy ships as hospitals and move non-Covid-19 patients from most-affected cities to the sea. The US on Thursday surpassed China, where the novel coronavirus had originated four months ago, with the highest number of coronavirus infected people. Over 85,000 people have tested positive for the deadly virus and more than 1,300 have died of the disease in the US so far. New York has become the epicenter of the pandemic in the US with over 38,000 cases diagnosed as on Friday. On the West Coast, California has got the largest number of cases with over 4,000 infected people.

Sources said that since New York hospitals are unable to cope with the growing number of coronavirus positive cases, even as hotels are being used for non-corona patients, the government has decided to move some of the non-Covid-19 patients to navy ships. As the outbreak is spreading fast in New York, many people have been fleeing the city, sources said. 

WASHINGTON, 28 March 2020, IANS: The World Bank Group President David Malpass said hat the multilateral lender was finalizing a package that could provide as much as $160 billion in financial support for the worst-hit countries by the coronavirus pandemic.

“The goals are to shorten the time to recovery; create conditions for growth; support small and medium enterprises; and help protect the poor and vulnerable,” Malpass told a conference call of the Extraordinary Group of Twenty (G20) Leaders’ Summit on Thursday.

Noting that the World Bank has approved a $14 billion package focused on the immediate health and social consequences of the outbreak, Malpass said “we’re now finalizing an additional package that will focus on the broader economic consequences”, reports Xinhua news agency.

The World Bank President further said that on Wednesday, he presented a program to the Board that could provide as much as $160 billion in financial support over the next 15 months.

“I’m particularly concerned about poor, densely populated countries such as India, where weak health systems need massively scalable investments in human capital, supplies and infrastructure,” Malpass said. “We are working hard to provide support through our public and private sector tools,” he said.

Malpass noted the World Bank has new COVID-related projects underway in 56 countries, encouraging other multilateral development banks to co-finance follow-up tranches. The World Bank is restructuring existing projects in 24 countries in order to direct funds to the health emergency.

NEW DELHI, 28 March 2020, TON:  In a bid to fight against coronavirus, the Indian Railways has decided to convert non-AC coaches into isolation ward to treat coronavirus COVID-19 patients. The Railways authorities has approved the plan and decided to allow producing more such coaches for the patients.
The Northern Railways has converted one such coach into an isolation ward. Once the prototype is approved by the Railway Ministry, the decision producing more such coaches can be planned, said a railway official.

YUMGAN, 28 March 2020; TON:  Taliban have retaken the control of a district headquarters in Yumgan, Afghanistan's northeastern province of Badakhshan. In another Taliban refused to withdraw or negotiate handing over the headquarters to Afghan government.

Heavy fighting between Taliban and the Afghan troops, resulted in number of casualties and finally takeover.

Yumgan and Jurm districts of Badakhshan Province which are presently with Taliban were controlled by Taliban since decades but last year taken over by the Afghan Government forces. In case Taliban retains Yumgan, there are high chances that the areas in between Yumgan and Taliban controlled Kuran wan Munjan will also be taken over by the Taliban.

GUINEA , 28 March 2020, TON: Guinea has voted to bring change its constitution, according to provisional results from a referendum that was announced on Friday. West African country’s could see the president remain in power for two more terms.

According to the head of Guinea’s electoral commission, Amadou Salifou Kebe, nearly 92% of voters on 22 March supported the change and the turnout was 61%.

The proposal would keep a two-term limit on presidencies, but increase the length of each term from five years to six. President Alpha Conde, whose second and final term ends in December, has would be able to remain in office for another 12 years.

A coalition of opposition and civil society groups, the National Front for the Defense of the Constitution, demonstrated against the proposal and boycotted the referendum. Violence during voting killed 4 people.

Pakistan has congratulated President Alpha Conde and people of Guinea on constitutional changes and continuity in the leadership.

Government of Pakistan has ordered suspension of all congregational prayers including Jumma (Friday prayers) in all mosques till further order. To this effect, the Government including Armed Forces issued has enforced compliance. In some institution written orders said, “With immediate effect Congregational and Jumma prayers have been suspended and all mosques will remain closed till further orders”. The closure of Mosques has been ordered including the grand Shah Faysal Mosque in federal capital Islamabad. On 27 March like many other mosques Shah Faysal Mosque remained closed for general public for Friday prayer. In local mosques authorities prevented Muslims from offering Jumma prayers in the mosques and asked them to pray at their homes.

            If we recall, the Islamic Ideological Council on 17 March 2020, called for keeping the Friday prayers short by reciting a brief Khutba and urged the elderly and children not to visit mosques. As per the details, a meeting of academics chaired by Maulana Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi was held on 17 March 2020, in which a joint Fatwa on the Coronavirus was issued, saying that everyone is at risk for coronavirus, must follow Islamic law of the deadly virus, “All political and religious meetings should be postponed immediately, the congregation meetings should be reduced to Arabic sermons (Khutba), and the distance between the ranks of the mosques should be reduced. Prayers should be arranged in the mosques and the floor or Chatties of the mosques should be cleaned with soap before each prayers and that Al-Qa’im-ul-Akhram-ul-Allah should be called to promoting the Corona virus”. According to the fatwa, patients, elderly persons should pray at home instead of mosques”.

The Media and Government sources claim that the Supreme Ulema Council (SUC) of Egypt’s Al-Azhar University has issued a special Fatwa on the request of Pakistani leadership, banning all congregational prayers at mosques to stem the spread of coronavirus outbreak. The western media reported that in Pakistan, people partially followed a ban on Friday prayers across the country, as people in remote areas did not heed to the call for staying away from typical Friday congregations. Accordingly, in major cities attendance at mosques was much lesser than regular times, according to local media.

It is interesting to note that despite UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson address to the nation on 23 March asking, “From this evening I must give the British people a very simple instruction - you must stay at home.Because the critical thing we must do is stop the disease spreading between households. ” In his address, he said people will only be allowed to leave their home for very limited purposes including shopping, one form of exercise a day e.g. a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household, medical need and travelling to and from work.  It would be interesting to note that with the exception of few odd all Churches in United Kingdom will remain open on Sunday 29 March.

In Bangladesh, a Muslim country with over 165 million people, there was no official ban for Friday prayers. The highest religious body, the Islamic Foundation, did not interfere but call on people not to attend the congregational prayers in areas with a high risk of COVID-19. All mosques in Bangladesh remained open rather attendance of during congregational prayers has increased. In African countries including Nigeria and Sudan people continued their prayers as usual with zeal and enthusiasm. In Maldives too Muslims were stanch believers that Almighty Allah would help them out of the crisis. In USA discarded to suspend services due to financial issues. However, people like  Sydney’s Catholic archbishop, Anthony Fisher, said masses would continue across Sydney, however they would be limited to no more than 100 people, in accordance with the government’s new ban on gatherings.

The Coronavirus is reality but not so serious as being projected on our digital screens or on media. Not even fraction will ever be infected whatever the case may be. The statistics reflected that anywhere around the world even less than one percent dies who were pronounced COVID-19 positive. The scene and the events are dramatized purposely and fake videos like Italian soldiers burning mass dead bodies of those  affected by coronavirus are, in fact, test our belief. It has become a fashion for world leaders to claim Coronavirus (COVID-19) positive to ensure people remains afraid of Virus rather the Almighty God, the Allah.  

A number of synagogues, churches, mosques and temples have already shifted to online platforms for online sermons and prayers. They call it “spiritual Communion”. They intend to close all physical places of worship and satisfy religious obligations watching them on television or computer screens or on their Smartphones. One wonders countries are successfully going digital in all walks of their lives within days and weeks. Those who have planned it do not want to miss the golden opportunity to completely defeat our beliefs as Davidians, Jews, Christians and Muslims. Who else can save us but the Almighty God, it is high time to awake our conscience and neither let viruses like Coronavirus to be successful by taking all precautions nor allow our Divine Faith to be shaken.