The caretaker government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa vowed to implement the principles of good governance with a primary focus on the welfare of the people and providing them relief during this miserable time. Following a significant decline in oil prices nationwide, the provincial government is swiftly implementing measures to pass on the benefits to the people, and efforts are being made to slash transport fares by at least 12 to 13%. The interim rulers aim at implementing this plan at the district level through local administrations and the formation of inspection committees to ensure strict adherence and effective implementation throughout the province.
Pakistan has been struck into acute economic frailty coupled with persistent political instability and ever growing global energy crisis that led to an unprecedented upsurge in the prices of petroleum products and common commodities. The headline inflation had touched to 43% in the past months due to sharp depreciation of the Pakistani rupee vis-a-vis US dollar and other foreign currencies while one litre petrol had been sold for Rs. 330 during this time. All those external fiscal and domestic management and regulatory challenges have pushed one-third of the country’s middle class into poverty while making it harder for the masses to arrange three meals a day for their families.
After months of hardships and miseries, there has been significant improvement in the country’s economic position after US dollar nose downed against Pakistan rupee and petrol prices witnessed a sharp reduction in the past week. Unfortunately, the blessing of this positive economic outcome could not be delivered to the masses as transporters, shopkeepers, garments manufacturers and other services providers did not reduce their charges/rates despite using cheaper oil, low production cost and reduction in import price after rupee gained ground against its competitors. In fact, neither ruling elite nor bureaucrate baboos are much loyal to the public and have a sense of public service by taking action against commodity hoarders and scrubbing hard on illegal profiteers. The KP interim government took the lead in service to the nation, hopefully the center and other provinces would join the KP government in this pro-public endeavour in the coming days.
