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Possible wars on food crisis
FINANCIAL experts at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington have
warned that the world was moving towards a food crisis that may lead to
wars and riots. Expressing dismay over food inflation, they have
predicted that the prices would remain above 2004 levels through to
2015.
Though the world community is aware of the problem yet it is good of the
experts that they have tried to sensitize policy-makers in different
countries about the impending dangers. Not only that they have
categorized the countries into highly vulnerable states and
unfortunately Pakistan is included in the list of 35 nations that face a
serious food crisis and in case situation deteriorates further people
may raid storage facilities for food. The persistent shortage of wheat
flour, the staple food of 160 million Pakistanis, clearly points out
that things were getting out of hands, calling for an all-encompassing
strategy to avert the scenario as forecast by the experts at the World
Bank. Apart from food, Pakistan is also caught in a vicious cycle of
recurring water and power shortages that are bound to affect the pace of
economic growth. There is no dearth of visionary people who could
formulate realistic and pragmatic policies to ward off the danger but
unfortunately their advice fell on deaf ears mainly because of vested
interests and political expediencies. It is known to all that the
Planning Commission, led by Dr Akram Sheikh, a thorough professional
imbued with the spirit of taking the country out of troubled waters, has
done tremendous job. Again we are lucky enough to have people in the new
Government who have necessary credible background of planning, execution
and crisis management. We would urge them to set up a permanent task
force, headed by a technocrat, to study role models and come out with
recommendations to address the challenge of doing long-term and workable
planning for the purpose. This is what the present generation owes to
the future generations of Pakistan.
