Huma Yusuf is a Global Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington DC. The opinions expressed in this commentary are hers. View more opinion articles on CNN.

(CNN) Pakistan is entering its fifth week under lockdown to control the spread of the coronavirus. But as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan starts this weekend, hundreds of thousands of people will congregate in mosques nationwide to offer special prayers.

The government's submission to demands from senior clerics and religious political parties for mosque exemptions highlights that Pakistan's fight against Covid-19 is more about managing political divides than saving lives.

As of Saturday, the country of more than 200 million people had at least 11,900 confirmed cases and 253 deaths , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. That's more than double the number of cases and deaths the country had on April 13.

Official members of the National Mosque perform the first "tarawih" prayer in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Official members of the National Mosque perform the first "tarawih" prayer in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

A man donates food to another in Johannesburg on April 23. "Zakat," or almsgiving, is one of the five pillars of Islam.

A man donates food to another in Johannesburg on April 23. "Zakat," or almsgiving, is one of the five pillars of Islam.

A mosque is empty in Madrid on the first night of Ramadan.

A mosque is empty in Madrid on the first night of Ramadan.

A woman in Hebron, West Bank, picks out freshly baked pastries as she shops for groceries before the start of Ramadan.

A woman in Hebron, West Bank, picks out freshly baked pastries as she shops for groceries before the start of Ramadan.

People shop at the Tajrish Bazaar in Tehran, Iran, ahead of the first night of Ramadan.

People shop at the Tajrish Bazaar in Tehran, Iran, ahead of the first night of Ramadan.

A man in Karachi, Pakistan, places stickers on the floor of a mosque. The idea is to spread people out while they pray.

A man in Karachi, Pakistan, places stickers on the floor of a mosque. The idea is to spread people out while they pray.

Marketgoers in Lhokseumawe, Indonesia, wear masks while preparing to buy meat for the Ramadan holiday on April 23.

Marketgoers in Lhokseumawe, Indonesia, wear masks while preparing to buy meat for the Ramadan holiday on April 23.

People view the moon from the roof of the Al Musariin Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia. They were waiting to mark the official first night of Ramadan.

People view the moon from the roof of the Al Musariin Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia. They were waiting to mark the official first night of Ramadan.

Workers pray as they wait to break the fast at their shop in Peshawar, Pakistan, on April 24.

Workers pray as they wait to break the fast at their shop in Peshawar, Pakistan, on April 24.

An imam leads a prayer that was broadcast live from an empty National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

An imam leads a prayer that was broadcast live from an empty National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Drummers wearing traditional clothes play and read folk poetry to wake people for the sahur meal in Gaza City on April 24. Sahur is the last meal before a long day of fasting.

Drummers wearing traditional clothes play and read folk poetry to wake people for the sahur meal in Gaza City on April 24. Sahur is the last meal before a long day of fasting.

An Iraqi Sunni cleric of Sheikh Hameed reads the Quran at the Umm Al-Tabool Mosque in Baghdad, Iraq.

An Iraqi Sunni cleric of Sheikh Hameed reads the Quran at the Umm Al-Tabool Mosque in Baghdad, Iraq.

Imam Hassanat Ahmed delivers his Friday broadcast, "Preparing for a Unique Ramadan," in an empty Noor Ul Islam Mosque in Bury, England. It was delivered via social media.

Imam Hassanat Ahmed delivers his Friday broadcast, "Preparing for a Unique Ramadan," in an empty Noor Ul Islam Mosque in Bury, England. It was delivered via social media.

People keep their distance from one another as they pray next to the gate of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on April 24.

People keep their distance from one another as they pray next to the gate of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on April 24.

A family breaks their fast on the rooftop of their home in Colombo, Sri Lanka, as the sun goes down on April 25.

A family breaks their fast on the rooftop of their home in Colombo, Sri Lanka, as the sun goes down on April 25.

Volunteers prepare meals to be given to migrant workers in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on April 28.

Volunteers prepare meals to be given to migrant workers in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on April 28.

Yusuf Kamel, 2, watches his parents Ahmad Kamel and Nadia Chaouch prepare a meal to break their daily Ramadan fast in Seattle on April 28.

Yusuf Kamel, 2, watches his parents Ahmad Kamel and Nadia Chaouch prepare a meal to break their daily Ramadan fast in Seattle on April 28.

Rohingya refugee Shahid Hussain, 10, offers prayers after breaking fast in New Delhi on April 30. His 2-year-old sister, Sania, sleeps in the next room.

Rohingya refugee Shahid Hussain, 10, offers prayers after breaking fast in New Delhi on April 30. His 2-year-old sister, Sania, sleeps in the next room.

Muslim women, silhouetted in the foreground, pray on a rooftop in Kolkata, India, after breaking their Ramadan fast on May 6.

Muslim women, silhouetted in the foreground, pray on a rooftop in Kolkata, India, after breaking their Ramadan fast on May 6.

An imam counts beads at the Imam Sadiq Mosque in Abyek, Iran, on May 7. The Iranian government had just announced the reopening of mosques in areas of lower risk.

An imam counts beads at the Imam Sadiq Mosque in Abyek, Iran, on May 7. The Iranian government had just announced the reopening of mosques in areas of lower risk.

Muslims maintain social distancing as they offer prayers at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on May 7.

Muslims maintain social distancing as they offer prayers at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on May 7.

Syrian Fahad and his children pray after breaking their fast in Athens, Greece, on May 8.

Syrian Fahad and his children pray after breaking their fast in Athens, Greece, on May 8.

Rabia, Carlos and their daughter, A'sha, pray during their iftar meal in Lisbon, Portugal, on May 10. They usually break fast at the home of Rabia's parents, who can be seen on the video call here.

Rabia, Carlos and their daughter, A'sha, pray during their iftar meal in Lisbon, Portugal, on May 10. They usually break fast at the home of Rabia's parents, who can be seen on the video call here.

A woman reads the Quran at her window overlooking the Al-Nasr Mosque in Nablus, West Bank, on May 10.

A woman reads the Quran at her window overlooking the Al-Nasr Mosque in Nablus, West Bank, on May 10.

Muhammad Haniyyah prays alone in the Great Mosque of Gaza on May 14. He has been a mu'adhin — the person who leads and recites the call to prayer — at the mosque for 30 years.

Muhammad Haniyyah prays alone in the Great Mosque of Gaza on May 14. He has been a mu'adhin — the person who leads and recites the call to prayer — at the mosque for 30 years.

Students in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, read the Quran at the Islamic deaf boarding school Darul Ashom on Thursday, May 14.

Students in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, read the Quran at the Islamic deaf boarding school Darul Ashom on Thursday, May 14.

A young man covers his head with the Quran at a mosque in Basra, Iraq, on Sunday, May 17. He was showing respect on Laylat al-Qadr, believed to be Islam's holiest night of the year.

A young man covers his head with the Quran at a mosque in Basra, Iraq, on Sunday, May 17. He was showing respect on Laylat al-Qadr, believed to be Islam's holiest night of the year.

A worker sprays disinfectant in a mosque ahead of the last Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Peshawar, Pakistan, on May 21.

A worker sprays disinfectant in a mosque ahead of the last Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Peshawar, Pakistan, on May 21.

An officer wearing a protective mask gathers Zakat al-Fitr, or charity, during the holy month of Ramadan with a drive-through system as preventive measures against the spread of the coronavirus at Nurul Hidayah Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia on May 21.

An officer wearing a protective mask gathers Zakat al-Fitr, or charity, during the holy month of Ramadan with a drive-through system as preventive measures against the spread of the coronavirus at Nurul Hidayah Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia on May 21.

Despite this steady increase, the religious establishment has remained skeptical of the government's pandemic response. Hardline clerics urged worshipers to defy restrictions first imposed in March and gather in mosques in great numbers. Congregations attacked police officers deployed to enforce the lockdown . The onset of Ramadan -- and the promise of generous charitable contributions by worshipers to mosques as part of holy month observances -- spurred religious groups to intensify pressure on the government, with the latter caving to avoid the political fallout.

The Pakistan Medical Association has denounced the decision to permit congregations, saying that protocols agreed between the government and religious groups -- including requirements for worshipers to remain six feet apart and complete ablutions at home -- are unlikely to be implemented. Doctors, who have already threatened to walk off the job owing to a lack of medical and protective equipment, say the health system will not cope if the virus spreads any faster during Ramadan.

Volunteers disinfect a mosque ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, in Peshawar, Pakistan, on April 24, 2020.

Prime Minister Imran Khan's decision to accommodate clerics' demands points to their political influence. Although religious political parties have rarely won more than 2% of the vote during elections, they have immense street power, and can whip religious sentiment and organize mass protests to destabilize governments.

Historically, religious groups also maintain close links with Pakistan's powerful military, a legacy of the anti-Soviet Afghan "jihad" in the 1980s. The military has previously mobilized religious groups to put pressure on civilian governments.

However this time, the pandemic has revealed the limitations of the military's control over such groups. The military supports a lockdown, and its inability to gain clerics' buy-in will frustrate Khan's administration, which has been left open to criticism for kowtowing to the religious establishment.

Muslims offer special taraveeh prayers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Peshawar, Pakistan, on April 24, 2020.

This will intensify civil-military tensions, already spiraling since the start of the coronavirus outbreak. The military was impatient with Khan's initial reluctance to impose a national lockdown, and deployed troops to enforce provincial-level restrictions -- forcing the government's hand to take broader measures. Since the start of April, the military has taken control of the national pandemic response, with a lieutenant general sitting alongside the planning minister at the helm of the National Command and Operations Centre, a coordinating body. On Friday, the military's spokesman announced that all the institution's resources would be available for a "track, test and quarantine" strategy to contain the virus's spread

The military's interests in tackling the coronavirus are clear. A prolonged lockdown or the collapse of the creaking health infrastructure could lead to rioting and widespread civil unrest, which the military would have to manage. This would distract from pressing strategic and security priorities, not least the unfolding peace process in Afghanistan.

A Muslim devotee sprays disinfectant in a mosque ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown in Karachi on April 23, 2020.

A poorly managed coronavirus response would also have a major economic toll, which would impact a military budget already affected by US President Donald Trump's decision to cut Coalition Support Funds in 2018. The World Bank has predicted that Pakistan will fall into recession this year. Anticipating calls for greater health expenditure after the pandemic, the military knows that it will have to stabilize the economy to protect its interests.

The military also aims to centralize political decision-making to better enable it to exercise behind-the-scenes control. Recent years have seen several attempts to weaken a 2010 constitutional amendment granting Pakistan's four provinces greater autonomy. This consolidation has been upended by the pandemic, with provinces responding independently to the coronavirus threat.

A boy reads the holy book of Quran ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, in Peshawar, Pakistan, on April 24, 2020.

Tensions are particularly high between Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party, which has long controlled the southern province of Sindh. Murad Ali Shah, Sindh's chief minister, has been widely praised for moving quickly in March to impose a lockdown in the commercial capital Karachi and test pilgrims returning from Iran. Khan has repeatedly mocked Shah's approach, terming it an overreaction.

The PTI government's laxity on lockdown rules for mosques will inflame tensions at provincial level. On Thursday, Sindh restricted late-night prayer attendance in mosques to five people. An apologetic Murad described his decision as "very difficult" -- yet necessary -- and argued that he wasn't violating the government's agreement with religious groups.

Murad knows that he's not just tackling the coronavirus. He's also navigating the power tussle between Pakistan's government, military and religious groups that will determine the country's fate -- pandemic or not.