Prime Minister Imran Khan spent sufficient time in his speech on Thursday to enumerate the difficulties he faced after takeover. The idea behind the emphasis on inherited problems is to try to paper over the shortcomings highlighted by critics during the last three years. No government in Pakistan faced the type of mindboggling problems encountered by Quaid-e-Azam and his team at the creation of Pakistan. These included settling millions of refugees, arranging finances to run the country, and maintaining peace after mass killings and looting. Being fully concentrated on building the new country, they took the difficulties in their stride. The PTI leadership knew very well the issues they were going to face. As they opted to vie for power one doesn’t expect them to whine about difficulties.
The government took the covid-19 pandemic lightly, letting in hundreds of pilgrims into Taftan without proper quarantine arrangements. It goes to its credit though that it formed the NCOC which managed things better.
Recently the government has introduced the Kissan Card which would reportedly help farmers get subsidized fertilizers, seeds and pesticides, low-interest loans and compensation for damaged crops during natural calamities. Mr Khan has also promised to make the agricultural sector a part of the CPEC project for enhancing production through Chinese technology. Initiated this year, it would be premature to pass a judgment on the efficacy of these measures.
There is no doubt a record increase in the production of bikes and cars. Motorcycles are a necessity for the employed poor in big cities who continue to complain against rising petrol prices. The big sale of sedans and sports utility vehicles indicates that the rich are getting richer under the PTI.
The sufferings of millions of common people continue to multiply. First, the 10 million jobs promised by Imran Khan remain a pie in the sky. Second, inflation has reduced the purchasing power of most of the population. Snap surveys all over the country indicate a near-universal decline in buying capacity. Major indicators challenge the claims of a better future within the next two years. Circular debt is rising, so is current account deficit, remittances declined by 2 per cent in June causing anxiety and there is insignificant foreign investment. The situation emerging from the fall of Kabul to the Taliban is rife with uncertainty. Meanwhile differences between the IMF and the government continue to persist.
