By: Asim Nawaz Abbasi/Editor
Pakistan may be poor but Pakistanis are rich and generous at heart, Pakistan may be a poor economy but it is not a poor country. These are not mere emotional words but this is what reality is. According to a report by the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Pakistan contributes more than 1% of its GDP to charity, that takes to the list of far wealthier countries like the United Kingdom (1.3%) and Canada (1.2%) and around twice what India gives relative to GDP.
The economic impact is already evident, as so many have lost their source of earning due to halted business activity. A country like Pakistan where the long-term effects of COVID-19 on public health and the economy are beginning to materialize. But in this chaotic situation, the philanthropy is playing its role.
Some known (philanthropist) and many unknown, to me, are the actual heroes of this country.
Some might believe that it is the government which is supporting people when every business activity is on a halt during the pandemic of coronavirus, yes, it is helping to some extent but actually they are the people who stand with their fellow countrymen during these crucial times. Some known and many unknown, to me, are the actual heroes of this country.
The COVID-19 pandemic that is affecting our lives has to be temporary. The virus has come and will go for sure. The only thing that is disturbing in this scenario is the loss that we cannot bear. The loss of people and the economic loss we are having both at the national and individual level. The pandemic has caused a very chaotic situation. People are disturbed as they can not opt for stepping outside from there houses and earn for themselves. The situation prevails everywhere in the world, whilst the world was not actually prepared for this and was not accepting it initially, the pandemic caused a stir.
People, who are unable to earn can neither protest for going out as they know the repercussions nor can work from their homes. Yet half of the country focuses on working from home, but it is not possible with the other half ratio of the country. The already shaking economy is feared to collapse as everyone is staying home at this time of the pandemic. People are following the instructions by the government to avoid getting infected while suffer at home without any monetary resources. People surviving through this pandemic is the only notion that the government standbys. On the contrary, the people of Pakistan look up to all of the philanthropists who can donate wisely. The fundings can help people survive through this pandemic yet stay strong. While the government promises to build channels to help the people, there are many philanthropists who are actually stepping forward in this time of calamity to help the people. Abdullah Khaqan Abbasi has been one of the not very prominent yet is working on a mass level. Knowing him personally witnessed him have benefited almost 15000 people by distributing ration packs among them and still has been actively working under these circumstances to help the people of Pakistan.
In this apocalypse, the government needs to take strong actions to help the economically deprived people and shouldn’t be ending up on giving 12000 rupees for 3 months to a family in need but should appreciate philanthropist as well, as I mentioned earlier such people are the real strength of this nation and needs to be acknowledged at every level.
The writer is Editor at ‘The Dayspring’ and Global Shaper at World Economic Forum. He can be reached at [email protected]