Sir: A few days ago, Awais Laghari, a federal minister, counted the government achievements and declared that there was no load shedding in more than 60 percent of the country, which is laudable if true. Unfortunately, the truth is far from his claims.
Not only is load shedding affecting at least half of the country, people are facing severe drops in gas pressure, which is critical during winters, even more so than electricity. The real test of electricity comes during summers, which I am afraid would paint a bleak picture. To make things worse, the price of the US dollar is on the rise, which would bring a new storm of inflation. One reason of the rise in dollar is huge import bills.
Our ministers and leaders must understand that their lust for big houses, luxury cars, costly watches, and attractive clothing sets the trend among our elite fuelling the demand for such items and giving an illusion of prosperity. Their blatant show of wealth not only gives a false sense of prosperity, but also causes resentment among common man who cannot afford such luxuries. Our ruling elite need to adopt a simple way of life to set a good example. They should set this example by leading a simple life and investing every single penny in the country to build a strong economy, without which real progress is just a mirage.
RAJA SHAFAATULLAH
Islamabad
Published in Daily Times, December 15th 2017.