It is a nightmare to read newspapers these days where people are committing suicides due to unemployment and extreme poverty. The common man has been pushed to the wall due to high prices of commodities of daily use, the worsening law and order situation, load-shedding, no justice for a poor man, rampant corruption at all levels.
At the same time, the same common man sees their rulers enjoying lavish life with every thing being provided free to them.
The budget of President’s and PM’s Houses is good enough to feed at least 10 million starving people of the country. The worth of one designer suit of the PM or President is good enough to feed 20 poor families for one year.
When our VVIPs move out from their palatial houses and offices, thousands of policemen line up the route besides a cavalcade of vehicles with elite force riding and blaring hooters and driving at break neck speed to provide them fool proof security.
On top of all this, they make official and unofficial trips abroad and within the country in personal jets. All this pomp and show involves expenditures in millions and billions.
This luxurious style of rulers is not only known to their countrymen but also to the outside world when our rulers go to them begging for loans and aid.
Each of their trips abroad is branded as a very successful tour where they have bilateral talks of mutual interest followed by signing of some most insignificant agreements like the exchange of cultural troupes or providing some trade etc.
Pakistan has been isolated in the comity of nations and one can see tough times ahead.
So I urge upon the rulers to start an austere life at every level. The majority of the revenue generated from direct or indirect taxes should be spent on welfare of the poor. The bottom line of this venture of austere living is that it must start from the top.
MUHAMMAD AZHAR KHWAJA
Lahore
