Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space. They are published in good faith with a view to enlightening all the stakeholders. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.
Rising debt
IMF’s requirements have rarely been met by Pakistan. However, in contrast to the other occasions since 1959, the IMF is now less inclined to make compromises and reluctant to release the next tranche unless the government keeps its commitments. Even if a frequently-promised $13 billion loan from Saudi Arabia and China materialized, it would simply increase the country’s $130 billion debt in 2022, which, even taking into account purchasing power parity, works out to slightly over $5,000 per person. While this is going on, the country is preparing to upgrade the national railway significantly and add another $10 billion to its debt to China.
The economy of Pakistan grew by a pitiful 2 percent in 2022, and as of right now, its foreign reserves are at a critically low level of less than $6 billion, not even enough to support one month’s worth of imports. In 2022, widespread flooding spurred on by monsoon rains and melting glaciers resulted in 1,700 fatalities and billions of dollars in damage. Two million homes, infrastructure, and livestock were all destroyed by the floodwaters. Several industries, including Pakistan’s main export—textiles—shut down their plants due to a lack of access to electricity and natural gas. Pakistan is seeking a $16 billion flood-relief package from international donors.
SYEDA SAMAN FATIMA
Karachi
Back breaking inflation
The way inflation has turned out is unprecedented in chronicle of country. Inflation has wreaked havoc on people and has also broken their backs especially the piteous rickety segments of society are the most and the first victims of this penalization.
Why are the people of Pakistan facing this hour of misery and suffering the punishment of inflation? Are we fallible or it is an absolute failure of decision makers or the people are going through this contingent situation by dint of scrap and invective of politicians with one another for their vested interests?
As ill luck would have it, political actors are at daggers drawn in the game of getting power and settle their scores. People are jittery and paying the nature of debt, standing in queues even to get flour to satiate the hunger of their children and also buying of commodities is heavy on the pocket, flour, sugar and rice are far from the reach of miserable people and forcing them to starve. We are going through the fragile situation of our history and restive inflation stands us on threshold of a journey from no one will sleep hungry to the poor people will die hungry. For God’s sake, have a mercy on the nation. All stakeholders, political actors, decision makers must come to conclusive settlement to set the rule of game and collectively move to take cogent steps to get the people out of this quagmire and provide cosy relief to people under skyrocketing inflation as they can respire a sigh of relief.
JAVED PANHYAR
Kandhkot
High cost of Hajj
This refers to the editorial “Costly Hajj” (2023-03-12) published in a sister newspaper. It is for sure that Hajj is one of the biggest dreams of any Muslim but today’s economic instability of Muslim nations like Pakistan has risen the price of expenses of Hajj due to which the dream of performing Hajj for ordinary people doesn’t seems to be reality.
In order that each individual should be able to have holy journey to Hajj, all Islamic countries along with government of Saudi Arabia must make expenses of Hajj affordable for all without trying to gain profit or money from it.
ZAINAB ALIAHMED
Turbat, Kech
Clean water
The main reasons for the water crisis in Pakistan are rapid population growth followed by climate change (floods and droughts), poor water management in agriculture, inefficient infrastructure and water pollution. 90% of wastewater in developing countries is discharged directly to waterways. Two million tonnes of wastewater and other effluents flow into global waters each day. Pakistan has a long history of dependence on the Indus Basin aquifer, which is larger than Great Britain but is contaminated by arsenic. Even worse, it is on right track to ultimately dry up over-exploitation.
One source estimates that annually 53,000 Pakistani children die of bacterial diarrhea from contaminated water. Various illnesses such as polio, cholera, plaques, jaundice, fever, viral fever, etc., are spread by polluted water. Contaminated water contains lead that is consumed by people. Unsafe water is responsible for more than 1.2 million deaths each year. By implementing appropriate and extensive reforestation projects in Pakistan, exhausted forest cover could be restored. The result will be increased rainfall, a stabilization of climate and temperature levels, and a reduction in air and water pollution.
KASHAF SULEMAN
Lahore
Box letter
Dowry system
I want to draw your attention about the evil of dowry system in the society. Dowry system is a stigma which is an insult to woman. It is a matter of shame for men. The greed for dowry has taken the life of many innocent girls. They are being tortured physically as well as mentally. Though we have a law which disallows the giving and taking of dowry yet this evil is spreading day by day. Women should be given equal opportunities in jobs and education so they can become economically self dependent. They should refuse to marry such men who encourage dowry practice. They should take a vow not to demand or accept any dowry at time of their marriage.
M FAROOQ SABIR
Karachi
