The curse of poverty

Saturday, August 11, 2012 - Millions of people- in Pakistan and especially in Sindh- live in abject poverty notably in the upper and lower Sindh districts. Poverty has deprived them of their spirit and virtues. People, both, men and women are reported committing suicides and selling out their newborns. The callous past successive rulers deliberately kept them in extreme poverty. They did not launch any worthwhile scheme or program to lessen poverty in the province. They used the resources of the province such as oil, gas, sea, minerals, roads, forests, etc. but did not use even a single penny over their welfare and development of the local people.

History is witness that the Sindhi people have never been so much poor as they have become nowadays. Reason is simple behind this abject poverty in Sindh province is simple because their so-called elected representatives- MNAs and MPAs- and also bureaucrats and technocrats are rich. They are entirely corrupt and embezzle and misappropriate the funds. It would be nice if the poor were to get even half of the money that is spent over publicity and advertisement of Sindh Bank and other organizations in the province.

Confucius has aptly said: “In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.” Is there anyone to take notice of the sordid state of affairs in the province and direct the thick-skinned provincial rulers and also Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund ( PPAF) and Sindh Rural Support Program, which have done nothing practical to lessen poverty.

—Islamabad