The crisis of energy price hikes and overwhelming electricity bills are continuing across the nation. All Pakistan Traders Association announced a countrywide demonstration whereas Business community in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has set a three-day deadline for the government to withdraw the exorbitant increase in electricity tariff and warned to go for every extent against non-acceptance of demands. The economic situation has suddenly become so dire that household incomes became insufficient for the Middle class and lower middle class to fill its highly essential needs. Awfully, doctors’ visits and quality education became status symbols for the poor during this time of economic turmoil. Economy is melting unrestrictedly as the rupee is sharply losing the ground against foreign currencies including the dollar, which has been traded for 330 rupees in the open market.
During the recent meeting, the power Division suggested the government recover August’s electricity bills from consumers in three equal installments, whereas the caretaker administration linked the solution with approval from the IMF. Meanwhile, the Bureaucrats sitting in power Division advised the cabinet for taking loans from commercial banks to pay dues to Power Producing Companies. Amid such a high-level economic crisis and public outrage, the International Monetary Fund did not confirm its cooperation with the South Asian economy and borrowed time to weigh its options.
Unfortunately, the level of loyalty of the Pakistani leaders and bureaucrats to their public was so high that they chose two options after a daylong deliberation over the issue. First, the consumers were given a big concession to either pay the bill as a whole in one go or in part in equal three installments along with their next monthly bills and suffer the same pain and humiliation for the rest of the year. Secondly, out of love for the nation, rulers asked for relief from the global lender without lamenting their predecessors for bad governance and lending any sacrifice of their own luxuries, protocol and emoluments. That’s why Pakistan covered miles toward degradation and ignominy instead of grasping progress and glory.
