Oh dear, inflation

Pakistan has suffered from innumerable problems since its inception. As one crisis subsides, another one emerges. Yet the resilient nation manages to gradually move with patience and courage. The situation in the past three years has worsened and people, disturbed by rising inflation, have lost complete faith.

Before coming to power, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan deluded the nation by promising change and later on negated his own claims. He used to hold the past rulers responsible for Pakistan’s woes. Today, inflation has increased manifold but he still continues to blame previous governments.

The debt-ridden government has increased external loans to record levels but has not implemented any mega project. No questions are being raised where has all the money gone. All these loans and interest payments have to be paid by the people in the form of higher prices which are draining the nation. No one has the courage to question the current government.

Despite being an agrarian country, we face a wheat and sugar crisis every year due to the government’s incompetence and ordinary people suffer the consequences. The unclear policies and hasty decisions to reward its own blue-eyed people has worsened the situation. There is sufficient wheat in the country but still the government imports at expensive rates. On the other hand, the government claims there was a bumper crop, then what is the point of importing wheat. Now the provinces are being forced to buy wheat at higher rates.

If provinces buy expensive wheat, it will increase the price of flour which will obviously affect the poor. All food items including flour, sugar, ghee, cooking oil, pulses, vegetables, meat and milk are getting out of reach. But Imran Khan, who once stood on a container to sympathise with the suffering of the people, does not feel their pain today. The ministers are asked to tell the public that inflation is much higher in other countries.

If the government wants to compare us with other countries, then it should not only compare the price of petrol but also the employment opportunities, living standards and per capita income. Where do the people of Pakistan stand as compared to them?

The present government has imposed the entire burden on the people by importing the most expensive LNG in history. It has now resorted to hiking the price of petrol twice every month, even snatching away their peace of mind. Those claiming a 22-year political struggle are still struggling to find a full-time finance minister even three years after forming government. Each brought more misery than ever and no good is expected from the current finance minister either.

The dollar is reaching new heights with every passing day. The sectors granted subsidies are out of reach of people. The government gave amnesty to the construction sector but cement, steel and other items became expensive. The government has also failed to curtail its expenditures or take austerity measures. How will the State of Madinah be realized with such loot and plunder?

Today every PTI minister claims they are making plans for the future. The present rulers seem convinced that they might never come to power again, so the stakes are high. It will only be after their departure that we will realize the real extent of their sordid tales of corruption and pushing the nation to the brink.