Afpak File: Is Now The Right Time For Pakistan To Be Easing Its Lockdown?

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced that his government will begin easing the lockdown it had imposed to fight the coronavirus pandemic, even as the number of confirmed cases continues to rise every day.

The latest episode of The AfPak File discusses the implications of this decision and the broader challenges Pakistan continues to face as it responds to COVID-19.

This week's guests are Mehr Tarar, a writer/author and the spokesperson for the Punjab ministry of information; Daud Khattak, a Senior Editor with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Pakistan Service, Radio Mashaal; Dr. Jia Fakhar, a Pakistani doctor in Khyber-Pakthunkhwa Province (she preferred her full name not be used); Asif Iqbal Daudzai, a leader with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) party, and the former minister of the provincial government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; and Michael Kugelman, Asia Program deputy director and senior associate for South Asia with the Wilson Center.

Muhammad Tahir, media manager for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, moderated the discussion.

This podcast originally appeared on RFE/RL.