Coronavirus and plane crash dampen Eid festivities

By Shahab Ansari
May 24, 2020

LAHORE : Amid the deadly menace of Covid-19 hovering over the heads of Pakistanis in every locality of the country and the recent tragedy of the PIA plane crash near Karachi on Friday, this year’s Eidul Fitr is certainly going to be a very sad, simple affair while the traditional festivities will be absent amid the coronavirus pandemic that has left hundreds of thousands unemployed.

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Major markets and shopping centers are brimming with shoppers after the government relaxed a months-long lockdown but business activity remains far lower when compared to last year. The government has allowed traditional Eid prayers in playgrounds and open areas, and urged worshippers to follow social distancing and other safety precautions but regular large gatherings are unlikely as many indicated they prefer to offer prayers at home. Those under 12 years of age and older than 50 have been banned from attending the prayers, according to the safety guidelines issued by the government.

Besides, the economic depression gripping the entire nation for the last many months, a fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, the recent PIA plan crash which further dampened the spirit of celebrations in the people. Pakistani showbiz, arts and cultural entities and Pakistani philanthropists, who have already been on the frontline to provide maximum relief to the depressed and economically crushed fellow Pakistanis, have also decided to celebrate Eid with the maximum possible simplicity and sobriety.

A lot many affluent Pakistanis living in other countries i.e. USA, UK, Europe, Australia, Sweden, and Saudi Arabia have already spent millions of dollars for the aid of their distressed Pakistani brothers and sisters. They also expressed shock over the PIA plane crash on Friday and said that they have already decided to celebrate this Eid with simplicity amid the overall depressing and difficult situation being confronted by every human being all over the world in general and the poor Pakistanis in particular.

To name a few, Shahid Khan from USA, Ayyaz Khan, Gulli Zadani, Mahmood Khan, internationally acknowledged Pakistani born Australian singer, Sheryar Khan, a famous businessman and Entrepreneur from Millan, Italy, Naseem Malik, a renowned political activist and reserve member of the Swedish Parliament, have already announced celebrating Eid with simplicity and donation to the needy and hard-pressed Pakistani brothers and sisters.

This great humanist gesture is not only prevailing among the Pakistani expats, but is also the practice and appeal of the Pakistani showbiz stars, artists and men and women of the literary world in Pakistan too. They have all requested their fellow Pakistanis to share and donate whole-heatedly on this Eid to their fellow countrymen.

They have also appealed not to forget the oppressed Kashmiri brothers and sisters who are facing the worst kind of atrocities by the Indian fascist regime of Modi and his blood-thirsty army in the valley.

Furthermore, the Pakistani artists and affluent entities have also appealed to pray for speedy recovery of those who are affected by the virus and fighting for their lives.

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