Gas shutdown: Piling on miseries

Our government just made another poor decision, working against the poor, in the form of suspension of gas supply to industrial units and gas stations across Punjab, for three months, starting December. This decision by the government will affect the livelihood of millions of people. Survival for many people is linked to the functioning of these commercial units and any move to shut down gas supply will render thousands jobless, as the government has yet to announce an alternative plan to protect those affected from the crippling effects of unemployment.

Apparently, the decision is being taken to ensure the supply of gas to domestic consumers in the winter. But the ground reality is that the suffering of domestic consumers will only multiply with the implementation of this decision. These consumers will have to pay more taxes in the form of domestic surcharge and this will be despite citizens already reeling under inflation, after the government imposed a general sales tax on daily use products.

In the absence of alternative jobs, the unemployed labourers may drift towards crime and anti-state activities to vent their anger and also to fulfil their monetary needs. The (soon to be) affected families need bread and butter for survival.

The government is trying to give the impression that, in order to improve the ailing economy, some tough decisions need to be made. This may be true to some extent, but this should be carried out in a more humane way. It should not be an excuse to add to the miseries of the already oppressed and suppressed class.

Before the elections, people were optimistic that with the arrival of the new government, Pakistan’s economy would improve and industry would flourish, creating jobs in the market, etc. But all this seems like a pipe dream now with the government miserably failing to fulfil its promises to take the people out of the mess they are in — and this includes overcoming the energy crisis. It seems that hoping for anything from this government is to hope against hope.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19^th, 2013.