Budget 2011-12: Commoners’ Hopes & Fears

The pre-budget phase has always exuded an aura of anxiety, optimism, pessimism and speculations in our social atmosphere and paved the way for heated discussions not only in the lofty chambers and conference halls that host the intellectuals, economists, analysts, politicians, business circles and technocrats, but also at the tea stalls, bus stops and haircutting saloons that stomach the sincerer but unwanted suggestions offered by the common rut including labourers, hawkers and rickshaw drivers. During the last decade, the unprecedented natural disasters and man-created calamities have played havoc with the global economy, in general, and our financial prospects, in particular. So, this budget, being a crucial one for both state and the nation in so many aspects, has given spur to an extraordinary socio-intellectual activity in the society. To know about people’s budget-oriented issues, assumptions, apprehensions, suggestions and aspiration, I interviewed some individuals from different segments of the society and found that, despite their individual approaches, one feature was very common amongst all of them and that was the sheer disappointment, cynicism and pessimism.
Professor Shahbina Akhter, a state-paid teacher opines, “All food items’ prices must be brought down so that everyone can have at least one square meal a day. Petrol prices are exorbitant and must be set in accordance with the international markets. I don’t expect any relief for the m asses from this government and I fear there would be more taxes, more price hike and more poverty after the emergence of the coming budget. If our government can’t control the prices of basic food items like sugar, flour etc, it must bring down the rates of cigarette, tea and paan that provides relaxation to the labourers who get ready for new assignments after taking such items instead of full meals.” Imran Afzal, a Messenger at a government office puts a question to us saying, “I get Rs. 7500 a month and have to pay 3000 house rent and 3000 for daily bus fare. What should I eat and buy in the rest of 1500?” He further suggests, “Basic items’ price must be decreased to a great extent, but I am not hopeful for any positive move from this government. Only the Almighty can do anything good to us now”. This hopelessness and negative thinking is an alarming juncture for both society and the state because such trends guide the overall thinking pattern of a nation.
Another state-paid grad-2 employee Hafiz Gulzar Ahmed shares his sorrows in these words: “I am living in-between the levels of a dead and an alive person, in a rented house with grown-up children and get Rs 13000/month after many years’ service. It’s getting harder and harder for me to mange two meals a day for my children as prices of food items like Sugar, Flour, Oil, Vegetables, Pulses and other such products have gone out of our reach now. I suggest this government to approve of an extra increase in the salaries of the employees from grade 1 to 10 because when it increases the salaries generally, this practice causes inflation and rise in prices. The government should fix the standard rents for the houses according to their accommodation capacity and space, so that poor may not be exploited by the landlords. All education expenditures must be paid by the state to prepare a healthy and educated new generation.” I appreciated his considerations and thoughts because, despite being an insignificant part of the social fabric, he shared his responsibility and put forward some advice.
Mr. Huq Nawaz Khan, a businessman, regrettably commented, “I was born in Karachi and has lived here for 50 years happily, but, in present circumstances, I fear that all the people will start expiring in this city due to traffic jams, environmental pollution, poor Law and Order situation, shortage of water, power and gas, price-hike, injustice and the resultant strikes, protests and the riots that take place in the city every other day. What are we paying taxes for? I can’t expect any good of the present leadership.” Mr. Khan is quite right and justifiable in his remarks due to very obvious reasons and conditions that are not a secret for anybody. People have suggestions and they want to help the government and the state to tackle all these problems and top make this country a true welfare state, but, at the same time, they are completely soaked into the mire of negativity, mistrust, hopelessness and cynicism due to the vacuum of a proper leadership and guidance. Mohammad Ajmal and Wajid Ali work in a governmental organisation in a lower scale. They opine, “The increasing rates of diesel and patrol are the basic reason behind the price-hike and inflation and the government must take measures to make these items affordable for the poor people.” The problem of fuel prices is graver than what we think about it. It’s really cruel to give a person Rs. 8000 a month and to expect that he would happily spend half of the amount to reach his office punctually after changing 2 to 3 buses in the cities like Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad.
Aslam Bajwa, a rickshaw driver, touched the heights of nihilism and made me shiver saying, “Suicide is not allowed in Islam otherwise I would have done that quite earlier. Although not fair, I pray to Allah to end my life and my poor family members too. The coming budget will make the life of the poor more and more miserable. The Lawmakers have always been very harsh and selfish people. Why should we pin our hopes to their tactics? In the present scenario, the passengers can not afford rickshaws due to the increased rates and we can not afford bargaining due to costly fuel. The number of daily passengers has decreased more than 80 per cent.”
The alarming and the saddening fact is that the whole society has gone a victim of distrust, depression and disheartening approach. When a nation loses confidence in its rulers and start believing that the state, that normally enjoys the status of the parent, is against the masses and can sacrifice them at the alter of their vested interests and villainies, the situation is extremely demoralising and jolting.