COVID-19: Pakistani citizen files $20b suit against US for damages

LAHORE: A COVID-19 recovered Pakistani citizen has filed a damages suit worth 20 billion dollars against the United States of America for the losses suffered by him and Pakistan due to the coronavirus pandemic alleging that the US was behind the unchecked spread of the COVID-19 under the rule of President Donald J. Trump.

The plaintiff said that as the leader of the free world and sole superpower, the US had the moral as well as physical obligation to lead the world but the US failed miserably by abdicating its duty. The US leadership downplayed the severity of the pandemic for months. At the same time World Health Organization (WHO) kept warning and the US refused to pay heed, the plaintiff added.

The US leaders kept appearing on the media and blatantly lied about the virus and the latter started to blame others. The US has shown the same brutality and laxity of judgments as they did in Iraq by lying to the world about the weapons of mass destruction.

The damage suit has been moved by Raza Ali, a resident of Lahore, who has recently recovered from coronavirus, in the court of Civil Judge Kamran Karamat. The plaintiff has nominated US Consul General in Lahore, US Embassy in Pakistan, US Secretary of Defence through the Consul General in Lahore and Ministry of Foreign Affairs as defendants.

Raza requested the court to pass a decree that “COVID-19 was caused by the US and it has caused havoc in the lives of Pakistanis and the plaintiff. It is most respectfully prayed that a decree for recovery of $ US 20 billion may kindly be passed along interest, recurring and actual cost coupled with fees.”

The plaintiff pleaded that his family members were suffering and their health was so compromised that they might be unable to live a healthy life ever. He said he and his siblings lost almost entire savings and jobs also and in a compromised atmosphere as his family is unable to pay the rent of a small shelter.

The unchecked spread of virus in the US and irresponsible statements of the US leadership spread it all over the world, including Pakistan while keeping its severity hidden despite warnings from the WHO and different countries, plaintiff added.

He said it was unfortunate that “some elements in the US” use detrimental tactics against its rivals but this time the nature has taken the revenge from them and, unfortunately, the US has lost tens of thousands lives. The current administration of the US was creating hurdles in the global fight against the COVID-19.

Raza said Western lending agencies and donors are “forcing” the government to cut subsidies and enhance taxes making the lives of the people more difficult. “Our country’s GDP growth has been stunted, unemployment is on the rise and economy is not going to take off in near future due to the pandemic.” Therefore, the plaintiff pleaded, that the defendant should be brought to justice.

The plaintiff said that he is aghast to see the audacity and mindset of the head of the US government who openly demanded that the vaccine of COVID-19 should be given to them first. In response, the French president responded via tweet “A vaccine for the virus ‘should be a global public good.” This vaccine hegemony is representation of the moral decay in the current leadership of the sole superpower, which used to stand for the rights of everyone.

The plaintiff believed that the malfeasance of COVID-19 pandemic is the direct outcome of sheer violations of defendant’s duties to the international community and has imperiled the precious lives and health of billions throughout the world.

They cut the funding of WHO specially at a time when responsibility demanded more support for them. This is the state of affairs of the current leadership of the free world, he said.