- Food insecurity may sink us
By Azam Badar
Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner said, “Water, water everywhere, nor any a drop to drink.” But now, allure, allure, allure, all is allure. Democrats and dictators had made it our fate. The fate of a helpless nation, being unfortunately forced to just act as a spectator on the actions of rulers. Allure, a bottle of famous perfume brand seen in racks of the big marts and super stores, is not simply a bottle of perfume; it may be carrying the thoughts of hundreds of millions of people like a storm of emotions sparkling in it. One can’t assume such living in a topsy-turvy world. Definitely it’s incumbent upon us and inevitable to visualise such.
How could a commoner know about the inside of the elite class, and they could not approach their mentality and the problems confronting them, so our political and ruling class tackling both sides, and the middle class being crushed, are subsequently having field days. Therefore, allure with multiple definitions gives a true reflection of our country and its masses. Allure translated with anger is also defined as the quality of being powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating. It is nowadays simply understandable, why common man is chronically allured (angry). On the other hand, what are those fascinating and charming reasons that make ruling, political and bureaucratic high ups alluring (the quality of being powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating)? Not very difficult to understand.
People need jobs, fast justice, food, lifesaving drugs and other basic needs on reasonable prices, but price hike and inflation are making their lives miserable. The PM is yet confident and announces that after some time fate of the nation will be changed. Let’s see and let time to decide as we all is allure, having been left with no other option
Especially at this time when the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has released its third quarterly report on the state of the economy, a day after Pakistan lost in the Reko Diq case with a $5.9 billion judgment against it. Astonishingly, SBP acknowledged that the economy was on its way to stability besides continuous price hike and the slow speed of development. Despite the SBP releasing such a report, the ongoing strikes of traders and industrialists was a result of the current government commitment with the IMF to make the central bank of the country independent. The government, while making such promises, is busy broadening and widening tax base and network and thus business community observes strikes. All and all, SBP independence goes much the same as in the past.
Referring to the statistics, Dr Hafeez Pasha the other day revealed that so far in the economic history of Pakistan, we had increased our tax collection to 21 per cent, so how can Imran’s government carry this to 41 per cent? “If the government achieves the task, it will be a milestone but if it didn’t, disaster would be waiting for us”, he warned. In such situation, the government’s concerned people should also deeply study and strategically analyse other alarming aspects of SBP report regarding food insecurity in Pakistan. These figures disclosed that food insecurity was one of the major reason to make masses belonging to all classes subject to allure. One is allured by hunger and another might be by the fantasy world’s attraction. But what is right, is right and what is wrong, is wrong. Nobody can deny the truth, whereas ‘might is always right’ for some, it’s another story, that are made worthy by the governments’.
Nevertheless, SBP inked in its report that almost half of Baluchistan households face mild to serve food insecurity while it also noted provincial disparities in terms of food security in Pakistan. In Baluchistan, at least 30 per cent of households experience hunger on a chronic basis. Alarmingly of the 36.9 per cent food insecure households in the country, 18.3 per cent faces serve food insecurity. Only 63.1 per cent of the country’s households are food secure despite the fact that Pakistan is self-sufficient in major staples. According to the Health Ministry’s and UNICEF’s National Nutritional Survey 2018, Pakistan is ranked at 8th position in producing wheat, 10th in rice, 5th in sugar cane and 4th in milk. Pakistan was ranked 106th among 119 countries surveyed for the global hunger index and has been characterised as at a serious level of hunger. According to SBP, a quarter of Pakistan’s population lives below the poverty line. This report reveals that around 50 million people in the country are unable to access basic needs given their income. Most of these people dwell in rural areas where the poverty rate is 30 per cent. Agriculture and the textile sector are considered as backbones of country’s economy but a report of aqueduct-projected water-stress country rankings suggests that Pakistan will fall to the rank of 18th most water stressed country in 2020, compared to the current ranking of 31.
Therefore, Prime Minister Imran Khan who, after his successful visit to USA, seems to be raising more slogans for change and ‘Riasat-i-Madina’, will have to work more hard in this regard in spite of all political pressures and protests. Though the opposition may be right for its followers, like the ruling party PTI for its followers, it should be kept in mind that the nation elected PTI for change. Imran Khan knows this all too well and he may also know that all is not well in the country. Masses are getting deprived from basic needs of life and resultantly losing their tempers. Allure, allure, allure, all is allure.
Subsequently, the PM was allured by the US visit, the opposition is allured by politics and power, but the helpless masses are allured by their deprivation. People need jobs, fast justice, food, lifesaving drugs and other basic needs on reasonable prices, but price hike and inflation are making their lives miserable. The PM is yet confident and announces that after some time fate of the nation will be changed. Let’s see and let time to decide as we all is allure, having been left with no other option. The government has to work for economic stability, price hike, threats regarding water shortage and food insecurity in the country, otherwise history will not spare them as it did not others who ruled in past, but are now seriously criticised for their wrongdoings.
The writer is a freelance columnist.
