Bhuttoism is hope for the hopeless
Muslim Mirani
Economic inequalities means the yawing gap of possessing income and
wealth between the the rich and the poor ie, haves and have-nots.
economic equalities implies the concentration of wealth in a few hands
whereas majority of people in the society line the verge of bare
subsistence level. it is paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty .on
the whole , a few enjoy all sorts of conceivable luxuries. The majority
of the people have no access to basic civic amenities like potable water
facility, sanitation, health, education and other necessity of life. The
laborers do not get their due remuneration proportionate to their
contribution in the production of goods and services.
The labours is most oppressed segment and also has got a weak bargaining
power and are exploited by the capitalists who are getting richer and
richer at the cast of poor. The vicious circle of poverty prevails in
the under developed countries which means that income of the masses is
below subsistence level, and it results in low purchasing power, low
demand for goods, low inducement to invest less capital equipment low
productivity and the net results is poverty. Anthropologist oscar levis
wrote a book titled culture of poverty and defined that culture of
poverty is both adoption and reaction of the poor to their marginal
position and is transferred from generation to generation. He conducted
his fieldwork at Mexico and New York slums. If we compare poverty of
slums of Rawalpindi and Islamabad with Mexico and New York it varies
from place and time to time, this concept is inevitable, both absolute
and relative. It signifies (powerless) money less and in broder terms
have not. It is the shanty, sheddy mud huts located in the end areas of
every sector in Islamabad and almost in every mohallah at Rawalpindi
called Katchi Abidis poverty breeds poverty and criminals find a
sanctuary to multiply in number and groups Mini nurseries to mature
prostitutes and supply line for flesh traders, heaven for drug
traffickers, bootleggers, heroin addicts, sanyasis joges snake charmers,
sadhus, quacks, witch doctors soothsayers, faith healers, fortune
tellers, hermits, phoney Mullahs, and other kind of fortune hunters.
Some of the slums are multiethnic multi religious and multi lingual,
where absolute poverty reigns supreme.
The have no adequate water supply, paved roods, and gas facilities. The
living conditions of slums are miserable, these. These hapless creatures
are notably poor and their tales of woes are heart wrecking You only
discover the extend of human disgrace and degradation after visiting
these ignored and most backward areas in the midst of most planned
cities of Pakistan over the years, slums in twin cities, have grown with
remarkable speed, situation is deteriorating as the population in these
areas is increasing manifold to prove that poverty breeds poverty. So
many reasons behind that, on of the political inequality leads towards
economic inequality. Inequality of wealth incomes and opportunities are
shocking to the democratic conscience. It is strange that masses are on
the bottom line of starvation and few rich people are rolling in the
conceivable luxuries. The existence of monopoly by the particular class
results in the manipulation of factor incomes leading towards economic
inequality.
That is why economic inequality prevents market mechanism to work
independently. It causes misallocation of resources and social problems.
The fruits of economic development do not reach to average man. The
richer becomes richer and the poor becomes poorer .The rich indulge in
all sort of conceivable luxuries where as the poor are not able to get
even two square meals a day.
The society is divided between haves and have nots. The present
democratic government should take necessary measures to level the
inequality of income and wealth promoting social welfare by providing
equal opportunities for the uplift of poor, free education, free medical
aid up lift the living standard of poor. Benazir Income Support
Programme is a step in right direction thatwill help and support the
needy households who are earning less than Rs.6000/- per month and
government has given Rs.34 billion for this project.
Construction of one million housing units country wide. Will provide a
roof to homeless Pakistanis. Decision to reinstate all government
employees sacked after dismissal of Pakistan Peoples Party’s government
in 1996. All those employees who were provided employment by PPP during
1993-96 will contribute in reducing unemployment and removed from
service later, would be reinstated with seniority and back financial
benefits followed by Government is also working on Legislation on sexual
harassment at workplace.
This legislation is in line with B B Shaheed’s dream of gender equality,
emancipation and empowerment of women. These initiatives aim at social
security and social welfare programmers reduce economic inequality and
poverty. Although the people of Pakistan know that our beloved country
is facing countless challenges, e.g terrorism, and extremism and
financial crisis. In spite of this the poor masses waiting for
materialization of Shaheed Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto’s most famous slogan and
manifesto ,food, clothes and shelter. There is probably no other
political figure since Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who has left such a deep and
mark on Pakistani politics as Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto.
Masses hope that the PPP government will implement in letter and in
spirit the social and economic agenda of equality symbolized in ideas
and sacrifices of Z A Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto who embraced martayrdom
for their dreams of a democratic Pakistan free of poverty, exploitation
and injustice. |
