Despite many warnings, the current government went ahead with the IMF loan programme out of desperation of trying to stabilising the ailing economy of Pakistan. Now, it seems that the detrimental effects of it have yet again come back to haunt the citizens, with the IMF again turning up the pressure, asking to increase power and gas tariffs for the revival of the stalled $6 billion programme while also stressing on the need to implement tax reforms in fear of the viability of Rs4.963 trillion tax collection target for the new fiscal year.
This is a testament to the fact that the country’s leaders and its citizens live different realities. The gap between the two have led to wrong decision making and misgovernance that have persisted for the past many years. Those at the helm decide on the basis of statistical analysis rather than taking the ground realities into consideration. While is it easy to claim that the people need to remain steadfast in the face of such circumstances, one can not fathom the sheer struggle that citizens are going through.
It is about time that the government acknowledged the deplorable condition of the citizens and worked towards providing some economic relief. Else thousands more will be forced into poverty.
Salman Haider
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, Septe0mber 13th, 2020.
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