Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said, “The most disgraced person is the one who knows the truth but stands with lies.” Ever since I started writing, I’ve aimed to avoid being counted among those who side with falsehood. The truth is that person are struggling to make ends meet. Electricity bills are surpassing salaries, and not long ago, a dollar was worth 176 rupees, while petrol cost 150 rupees per liter.
Today, a dollar is worth more than 300 rupees, and petrol costs nearly 300 rupees per liter.
The situation has led to unjust circumstances. Flour costs 170 rupees per kilo, cooking oil is 700 rupees, sugar is 172 rupees, and the cost of electricity is 65 rupees per unit. Essential items like DAP fertilizer are 10 thousand rupees, urea is 25 rupees, and small cars are priced around 25 lakh rupees.
Minimum Hajj expenses have crossed 13 lakh rupees. In fifteen years, we’ve built 200,000 housing societies on agricultural lands, forcing us to import wheat, cotton, sugar, and lentils despite being an agricultural country. Factories are closed, which implies no business. Our powerful entities need to recognize the grave error of bringing a politician into the fold fifty-six years ago. His hunger for power led him to use divisive language, which shattered the nation. In the wake of this destruction, oppression and injustice prevailed.
In 1974, during the Islamic Leadership Conference in Lahore, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of Bengal declined to attend. However, a desire arose to include him, which led to his participation with the help of special planes from Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Yasser Arafat of Palestine. At Lahore airport, this person welcomed Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, dubbing him the “Butcher of Bengal.”
This event showcased Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s warm interaction with Pakistani establishment favorites and his endearing attitude towards those who loved Pakistan. This sentiment led to the nationalization of factories and institutions, revealing corruption within the Pakistani economy. Although there were drawbacks, unions were established and institutions were filled.
During Zia-ul-Haq’s regime, our powerful entities introduced a businessman from Lahore, nurtured his child, and allowed corruption to seep into every institution, corroding the system. Today, corruption is rampant across Pakistan’s administrative structures, even though our treasury isn’t weak.
Despite Switzerland’s halved presence in our northern areas, it earns only 60 to 70 billion dollars from tourism, while we could do the same.
Fifteen years ago, there was inflation, but there wasn’t a season of suicides. The 16-month tenure of experts, introduced by powerful entities, now gives the impression that poverty, unemployment, and hunger are rampant in our country. News of suicides is prevalent, crime rates are rising, and this 16-month government has given rise to widespread protests.
The core of this protest movement lies in the oppressive policies imposed. People are struggling to make ends meet, with taxes and bills outweighing their income. Protest seems to be the only recourse left for them.
