Attiya Munawer
AFTER Gujranwala, the PDM’s rally in Karachi was also successful, but the people have no interest in opposition’s protest rallies, they are worried about who will control the rampant inflation? With this rising inflation, and unemployment, the faces of the poor and the youth are withered away; the purchasing power of the people has died in the face of rising inflation, while the voices of business people are coming out. After the PTI government came to power, the people were happy that for the first time, the country got a Prime Minister who has no stain of corruption on his feet. It will open the door to prosperity for the people, but the government’s actions so far seem to have plunged the people into a deep abyss of despair. Inflation has risen to 300 per cent in the last two years.
The PTI faced various difficulties as soon as it came to power, the burden of foreign debts, the non-profit mega projects of the former government, the retaliation of friendly countries with the sword of FATF has further increased these difficulties. Prime Minister Imran Khan is trying his best to tackle the problem with his colleagues, so the government gets some general support at the public level, but controlling inflation is purely the government’s job. According to the report of the Bureau of Statistics, the rate of inflation has increased by 4.5% in a week. The increase in the prices of 25 essential commodities in a week is a cause for concern.
In Lahore, mill flour has become more expensive and reached Rs 84 per kg, while sugar is being sold at Rs 110 and eggs at Rs 200 per dozen. Food items have become out of reach of the common man due to discrepancies in government announcements and measures. And the people are now disappointed with the rulers. But government is still relying on anti-inflation announcements to control inflation. In contrast, government announcements to control inflation are ineffective and commodity prices skyrocketing
But the government can turn the frustration of the people into hope by ensuring prompt action against the profiteers. It will also have to activate the system at the district and tehsil level to control inflation. The complicity of rampant inflation includes patronage of profiteers from top to bottom. Government should crack down on big mill owners and hoarders instead of appeasing the people by using Tiger Force behind small traders, so that by creating an artificial crisis in the market, these people can refrain from halving the skin of the poor, and uncontrollable inflation can also be curbed.
The main agenda of the Pakistan Democratic Movement is to save itself. However, in view of the situation, the rising inflation is being shifted to the political agenda. So, it can be a threat to the government. To avoid this, people need to be made aware that the government will be able to curb rampant inflation and only the trust of the people can be a strong shield for the government.
—The writer is freelance columnist, based in Lahore.
