This situation should force our government to change the dynamics of our economy
KARACHI: Pakistan has successfully launched the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme by disbursing Rs12,000 each to 12 million poverty-stricken citizens. This Rs144 billion programme is the biggest cash distribution programme the country has ever come up with. According to the World Bank, the programme has been “instrumental in mitigating the impact on the economy” during the pandemic. This move by the government came as a pleasant surprise as the economy is already facing difficulties. Such programmes are essential to curb any future recession caused by the ongoing lockdowns. In Pakistan, it helps in ensuring that a majority of the people living below the poverty line do receive basic necessities. Our economy is built from the blood, sweat and tears of the poor who carry the country’s burden on their backs. At the moment, the country’s wealth graph is shaped like an inverted pyramid where those at the top control most of the wealth, which is mostly inherited, while those at the bottom barely get by.
This situation should force our government to change the dynamics of our economy. The distribution of wealth should be made more equal and exploitation of the working class should stop. Many countries have successfully achieved this feat. It is possible for us to do the same. The greed and corruption of a few has harmed our country greatly and we now need to take damage control measures.
Ahmer Naqvi
Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2020.
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