Timely relief

At a time of spiraling inflation, Prime Minister Imran Khan surprised the nation with a relief package, which has taken even his adversaries by shock. By announcing to slash the prices of petroleum products by Rs10 per liter, and electricity tariff by Rs5 per unit, the government has taken a jolt of Rs250 billion. This is appreciated and it will, at least, help in toning down the rising resentment of masses against skyrocketing prices. The cut in energy tariff means a 20 to 40 per cent decrease in electricity bills, depending on the slab of the consumer.

By keeping his arguments glued to the welfare of the common man, which his government is determined to undertake, the PM has made an active political statement, and it couldn’t have come at a more opportune moment. The opposition is flexing its muscles to take to the streets and even table a no-confidence motion. Now, it will have to do some deep thinking, as the relief measures seem to have taken steam out of the agitating agenda.

In his speech to the nation, the PM spoke on everything under the sun but carefully desisted from stepping into any new controversy. He, nonetheless, kept on referring to the policy flaws of the previous governments, and centred his argument that the mess today in economy and foreign relations is owing to their misdeeds.

Spelling out relief measures, he went on to promise that no increase in petrol and electricity prices will be undertaken until the next budget. This is reassuring to streamline the pace of the economy, and will go a long way in addressing uncertainty. All that the government needs to do now is to watch out on inflation and the plummeting course of rupee to get going. Similarly, as POL prices go down its spinning down relief effect must be evident on prices of commodities, and this is where the utility of an efficient government will be recognised.

A host of tax exemptions for companies and freelancers in the IT sector, along with foreign exchange exemption to these trades, was an added feature of relief. Last but not least, the decision to increase the Ehsaas stipend by Rs2,000 per month, and doling out loans for new businesses under the Kamyab Jawan programme is a smart move to reconnect with the masses. A staggering Rs407 billion is to be disbursed in the next two years for youth and farmers as interest-free loans, apart from loans to build homes. To this day, loans worth Rs150 billion have already been dispensed by banks, and is a healthy injection to uplift entrepreneurship.

Referring to his government’s dictum on taming fake news dissemination, the PM made a powerful case of hybrid 5G warfare with which the country is faced. He was also nostalgic as he, once again, took out leafs to read out from our foreign relations as to how appeasement to the United States had undermined sovereignty and nationbuilding in yester-decades. The trust of his address to the nation seems to have made inroads as it touched upon the constituency of the common man, and the instant relief is now in need of being felt. It must be ensured that there aren’t any somersaults.