Pakistan & India’s leaders adopted v different approaches to Covid-19 from the start: Imran Khan insisted the country’s poor can’t afford a lockdown, whilst Modi implemented a strict one, worried by the prospect of a huge number of deaths... both strategies have their problems

In Pakistan, with little social distancing now taking place in markets after restrictions were further eased, and with mosques allowed open, doctors like Abdul Bari Khan warn the “healthcare system will not be able to sustain” the inevitable rise in cases

In India, by contrast, the abrupt imposition of a strict lockdown led thousands of suddenly jobless migrant workers to walk hundreds of miles back to their homes in villages.

Leading journalist @BDUTT told us she met children “walking barefoot” in the road & whilst there was an initial acceptance the lockdown was needed to flatten the curve, the migrant workers are “a humanitarian tragedy that is on a parallel track to the challenges of the pandemic”

In developing world countries where many people are struggling to afford food, and healthcare systems very weak, the debate is particularly pronounced: what causes more harm - Coronavirus or the lockdowns to prevent its spread? No easy answers...

But @BDUTT summarised it eloquently, “you are seeing the entrenched inequalities of our society... there should be lessons drawn from this so we don’t carry on business as usual in the future.” Our report here, at 17mins 30: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000j2sn

Both PK & India now appear to be going for targeted rather than broad lockdowns. Europe is also easing restrictions, however in S Asia we are yet to see the peak of infections.. so far recorded deaths are lower than feared but coming weeks will be crucial w @uszahid @NicolaCareem