STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan
The wide-bodied Boeing 787 nicknamed “Dreamliner” entered Toronto airspace and circled down to land. There was no line up in the air corridor to delay the landing. Like most international airports, Toronto’s Pearson International is quite expansive. The walk from the gate in terminal 3 to the immigration counters is quite a long one. It was much needed exercise to get the blood flowing again after sitting for nearly 14 hours. Having started in Lahore with a stopover in Abu Dhabi, it pretty much became a 24-hour ordeal. It was a relief for Rakhshanda and me after all the uncertainty we had gone through in the past week.
The entry halls were not crowded at all so maintaining social distancing was possible. Unlike the horror stories shared by some friends, the passage through all the stages from entry to getting yet another COVID test was over in less than 45 minutes. It is easy to understand. Toronto is Canada’s busiest airport which was facilitating 47 million passengers yearly in normal times. During COVID this traffic has dropped by over 90%! COVID is dictating lives and lifestyles. Another add-on to the whole process is the mandatory 3-day hotel stay awaiting the COVID test taken upon landing. This was our 4th PCR test in 10 days. I feel my nostrils are expanded with all the probing swabs taken in such a short span of time!
I could finish this piece by describing all the ups and downs we went through to complete a simple journey which we have done scores of times in the last 25 years. However, I would miss out on the opportunity to dwell on the bold assertion made in today’s topic. World Order defines the hierarchy of Global Powers and how such powers are applied in the pursuit of global hegemony. Simply put it is pursuit of world domination through military might and financial power. The last time a new World Order was proclaimed was by US President George H.W. Bush in 1990 in his address to US Congress on September 11th. USSR was defeated in Afghanistan and broke up as a mighty global power. It became a unipolar world dominated by USA.
Over time the above definition has proved to be too narrow. It is not all about military might or financial muscle. It is about human behavior, attitudes, organization, and approach to life. The sole opportunity for USA to put its stamp on a global approach was frittered away. The 2nd President Bush’s neo-conservatives embarked on a mission to ram democracy down the throats of countries totally unprepared for this change. It was a global disaster. Facts don’t lie. It cost tens of trillions of dollars to US taxpayers, shattered and battered societies, gave rise to extremist movements and bleeding continues till date. Just look at Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, even Egypt.
While USA and Europe were squandering their centuries of accumulated wealth, China was moving strategically and stealthily progressing in science, technology and building an industrial base that would dominate the world. A competing global power emerged that spread its influence far and wide not militarily but through planning, technology and economic assistance. Those are the measures that will determine the new global powers of the future.
Amidst all this the global pandemic descended. COVID 19 has disrupted life in all aspects. All my life I had met friends with a friendly embrace. Not for the last two years. A sneeze in a room panics all the occupants. The virus is deadly, and each mutation is more lethal. History is full of such epidemics that human race survived overcoming them at great cost. We will overcome this one too. In every new birth one thing is assured; there will be a death. However, it will change human behavior and priorities forever. Going forward science and technology will guide our lives more than ever before.
The mantle of leadership is slipping from the political leaders. A quick look at the global map recording the spread of COVID clearly shows that the leaders who followed the scientists controlled their losses. Look at Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and China. Then look at Brazil, India and Trump’s America. The fire is out of control. The cure is yet to come, but through the hard work of doctors and scientists, regimes have been developed to manage the disease to keep the mortality low.
The redemption lies in COVID’s prevention. Masses must adopt simple precautions like mask wearing, avoiding crowds and sanitizing. The governments have to facilitate large scale vaccination. That requires a change of attitudes and submitting to science rather than the fatalistic approach many of our societies have adopted.
Total lockdowns are unaffordable in societies like ours. It will kill through hunger rather than disease. Hence a scientifically designed smart and effective lockdowns are required in the country. Alternatively, a video that went viral on social media showing policemen wielding a stick for all those not wearing masks is the perfect answer. It may become a necessary evil to contain the spread of COVID due to non-compliance.
Post COVID the future holds serious challenges of combating population explosion, food and water shortages, climate changes and securing the environment. The answer lies in adopting technology and following science. That will be the New World Order. Only those who accept it will survive.
