THE Covid-19 pandemic has now afflicted 199 countries. It is proposed that to tackle the pandemic effectively, a temporary world order should be created having the following contours:

Banish all nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons testing the world over, including any sort of arsenal that is deemed conducive towards bio-warfare. Accelerate the global disarmament efforts and curtail or stop all wars taking place.

The funds derived from global disarmament and a ban on testing WMDs should be applied towards reversing climate change, tree plantations, expansion of natural food crops and supply chains, and, above all, healthcare developmental efforts to counter global health issues.

The G20 group recently held a summit via video conferencing. As a start it is a good effort. The UN and all global multilateral organisations and agencies should step up data management, analysis and development plans for their member states with the sole purpose for creating a sustainable planet, in which man and nature are able to co-exist.

The pandemic is slowly advancing and has awakened the global community from its deep, self-materialistic slumber to the fact that things cannot continue as they are. We need a new beginning, we need fresh ideas, we need to respect nature, and we need some serious spiritual introspection.

Abbas R. Siddiqi
Lahore

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2020